The revolutionary performance
by Five seas
Summary: The Angel's act complete, everything seems perfect. But when fromer star Annet Blanche shows up things get really complicated. Can Sora manage to find her way through all the secrets, betrayel and passion to shine again? Sora/Leon.
1. Setting stars

I don't own Kaleido star.

* * *

**Setting stars**

Rosetta balanced Marion on her shoulders as the younger girl hung the last poster, then helped her down, and at last the two girls stepped back to enjoy their work. The giant shiny pictures of Leon and Sora announced the program of Kaleido stage this season, and for the third time in a row, 'Swan Pond' was their top act.

They say that everyone has their five minutes of glory before they burn out, but this time it was different. Sora and Leon never stopped working hard, and their efforts paid off-things had gotten better and better with every show. Kaleido stage wound never go on tour-people came to them from all over the country, tickets sold out long before the season was officially announced, and most importantly-the audience was always breath taken by Sora's sensual performance. She never lost her fire.

Rosetta noticed that she and Marion weren't the only ones watching the newly hung posters. A woman had also stopped before the ticket booth and examined the announcements with a sour look hidden behind her fashionable sun glasses. Then, as if feeling Rosetta's stair, she turned around and gave her a cold smile. The young diabolo star felt a chill running down her spine and immediately thought that she didn't like that lady.

"The tickets for 'Swan Pond' have already sold out." She stated flatly, moving closer to the stranger.

"Indeed? And why do you think I'd be interested?"

"All our performances have been sold out, ma'am. Would you like to book tickets for the next season?" Rosetta, of course, would never be so impolite, but that person was like a snake-you instinctively felt that you had to get rid of them."

"Oh, you don't understand, don't you." She took off her glasses, revealing her eyes to look straight at Rosetta "I'm not interested in that there are no more tickets, little girl, I will get a seat anyway."

"I'm afraid that…" Rosetta began, but the woman turned her back on her and walked straight to Kalos' office, without so much as a goodbye.

"Who was that?" Marion asked

"I don't know…" Rosetta bit her lip "Let's get going, we're late for practice anyway."

* * *

When you entered the hallway to the training room, you knew very well who was there and what were they doing. The familiar sound of people working out, jumping and swinging, turning in the air and dancing made Rosetta calm down and ran the last few meters.

May was already pissed off because she was late, and the young girl had little time to look around before having to do push ups and pull ups and all other sorts of warming-ups before practicing her own act. Before the hour was out, Rosetta had forgotten about the arrogant woman.

Sora and Leon were, as usually, practicing the Angel's act very thoughtfully. It was a beautiful maneuver, but there was always something to work out. Sora turned in the air a few times before landing on the trapeze and holding a posture. She took a breath-now there were a few seconds to relax before jumping again. After the months and months of practices she had learned the entire act step by step, and she could do it even in her sleep.

"How was that, Leon-san?" Sora asked when the two took a break. Leon took a thoughtful sip of water and shook his glorious hair off his face before answering:

"Not bad. But we have to work on your speed."

"My speed? But the Angle's act…"

"I know, Sora, I've been doing it for a while now." Leon sighed "Look, it's not speedy, but you're too slow. We have to keep up with the music and the timing, remember?"

Sora was about to object-she was doing it just right, the way they had been practicing for so many weeks! But it was Leon, and that was the Angel's act-to him it wasn't just an acrobatical number, it was something close to his heart…and his sister's heart. Sora would never argue over something so personal and precious as the memory of Sophie.

"Yes…" she said quietly "I'll work it out."

Leon stopped as he was bending for a towel and looked at her. Great, he insulted her again-sometimes he felt like such a jerk. He never meant to be so harsh, it was just so irritating, it was too slow…Not just her jumps, it was this total…cloudlessness about…Never mind. She was a woman, it wasn't in her abilities to keep her feelings unbroken.

"Don't worry." He said, patting her on the head "We'll get it right for tomorrow's performance. Let's rest for now." Little did he know what he had just done.

* * *

The arena was crowded again. People lining up before the entrance, buying pop-corn and cotton-candy, trying binoculars, kids running down the aisles and laughing…it was the spirit of the stage. It was the love to the stage that united all these individuals, people who have nothing in common otherwise.

The woman snorted and leaned back on her seat, little interested in the clowns that entertained the audience at that moment.

* * *

A pat on the head.

Sora was sitting in her dressing room and was busy, apparently, to put the finishing touches on her make-up. However, she was just staring in the mirror with a brush in her hand, thinking about stupid things.

**A pat on the head!** What was she-a dog?

The truth was that Leon had really pissed her off by doing so. Sure, he had his reasons to have been what he had been, cold and proud, but he could put some effort in changing his ways. Why couldn't he at least smile for once in a while, or praise her, or be a little friendly, like Ken?

But deep inside Sora couldn't be angry with him-Leon was Leon and Ken was Ken, there was nothing to compare-they were like polar opposites. Nothing unusual so far! Ken praised her because he really liked her, he was a true friend…and true friends, as it's very well known, prefer to exaggerate our achievements and be a little deceitful when it comes to reviewing. Leon, on the other hand…

Sora didn't know what he was. Not an enemy, nor a friend, and definitely not a lover-for some reason she couldn't set him in any category. He was very nice, and gentle, and friendly when he chose to be, but he preferred to stay cold and impassive most of the time. Something Sora thought was a real shame. And he was always frank-dead frank. He pointed out all her mistakes, and worked her until she straightened them up, and then found some more…the only time he had praised her was after their first performance of 'Swan Pond'. He told her one 'Good work, Sora.' And then he was back to his strict and stoic self.

No, she refused to have feelings for him. She refused to be in love with someone so…cold. Hiding your heart from the world and locking it in a cupboard was worse than not having one.

All her worries were, however, swept away when she stepped on the stage. The blinding lights, the sound of swinging trapezes, the cheer of the audience, the spirit…her problems seemed so small, compared to that.

* * *

May and Rosetta were, as usual, perfect. But their experience paled before the grand finale-on the stage, Sora and Leon were what they wanted to be, what they longed to be. Lovers, friends, accomplices…the stage had the power to turn them in whatever they wanted. Once again, her heart leaped as his hands landed gently on her hips and raised her up, as they danced and brought the audience to the heart of the stage.

And the audience understood that. They appreciated it. And that was why the aftermath was an endless encore, the applauds raining down, the cheers making Sora feel tingly and ready to fly…

But one person wasn't cheering.

* * *

The backstage was just as noisy as the stage itself-Sora turned to 360 degrees to receive excited 'Nice job', 'Keep up the good work', 'Wonderful performance'….Somebody was clapping slowly, steadily, in a loud and rather irritating manner. Soon, everyone felt it and shat up to see who that was.

In the end of the corridor stood a woman in an elegant evening dress, holding a pair of glasses in one of her arms, an icy stare nested in her golden irises.

It took one look for Rosetta to recognize her, and a cold chill ran down her spine-it was that woman from before.

* * *


	2. Class of a star

* * *

**Class of a star**

The woman kept on clapping for a while, before finally setting her hands down. A smirk formed on her lips.

She wasn't looking too bad, actually. Her face had perfect proportions, with no wrinkles or beauty spots, and her figure was absolutely flawless. She couldn't be more than thirty-thirty two years old. Everything about her was classy and expensive-from her 'Christian Dior' dress to her shoes. Small, but elaborate jewels shun on her neck and ears, and her hairdo probably cost three times the salary of a stage worker.

She approached Sora, stepping down slowly as if her heels were made of glass, and tucked a few locks of hazel hair behind her ear.

"It was a good performance, Ms Naegino." She stated, looking at the new star as if she was choosing a vegetable for her table. "Indeed…it was good, worthy of the hair of Layla Hamilton…"

"You…do you know Ms Layla?"

The stranger chose not to answer, she just smiled behind her glasses and made her way to Kalos' office.

* * *

Layla missed her by a thread. But she found the crew whispering about some woman, and Sora, May and Rosetta-extremely vexed. From the entire group, Leon seed to be the least impressed, so she went to him and asked him why was all this fuss about.

"Oh, some unhappy fan." He shrugged, but his eyes betrayed a concern for Sora-the girl looked like a fresh flower, frost-bitten by the first snow. The French artist quickly told Layla the short exchange of lines between Sora and the woman, and described her. With every word, the Hamilton heiress' face seemed to darken more and more.

"Ms Layla…" Sora turned to her, her honest, clear face showing great concern "Ms Layla, do you know this lady?"

"Yeah…" she said, putting her hands on her hips "I thought that old witch had gone back into the hole she crawled out from. Don't worry, Sora, she's just growls, but never bites."

"But who's…" Rosetta began

"Don't bother yourself. She'll be out of here before she can cause more damage. Where has she gone to?"

"To the directors' office. She seemed to know her way there." Marion said, and without a moment to spare, Layla headed there too, Sora, May and Rosetta in toe.

The golden-haired woman was taking really big steps, trying not to look bothered or hasty. But right before she went in Kalos' office, she paused and chose to listen, rested near the crack between the door and the frame. The three girls that came after her looked surprised, but followed her example.

The stranger was there, standing next to the window, while Kalos was sitting on a chair. She seemed to be telling some joke, because she was laughing all the time. However, Kalos seemed the least bit amused. When they listened carefully, Sora's name was easily distinguished amongst the flow of words coming from the mouth of the woman.

"It was just as I thought, wasn't it? That girl, Sora Naegino, kicked Layla out before she had turned 23. History, indeed, likes to repeat itself, Kalos."

"I don't think Sora is capable of kicking anyone out, Annett." The former stated coldly

"Ah yes, little miss Manners. She can't swear like she can't keep a good image on the stage."

Silence met her words, but Kalos' look demanded some explanation. The woman, Annett, laughed and threw her head back, while pouring herself a glass of whiskey.

"Don't tell me you don't read the newspapers! Sora and that Frenchman, Leon Oswald…they're quite famous. They display such affections on the stage that people already speculate that they are lovers."

"How silly! Hasn't it crossed your mind that they might be good actors?"

"No actor is good today, Kalos, and you know it! The art is failing. The stages all over the country are no longer what they used to be. And Kaleido was the one that started it. First with Layla, and now with that Sora Naegino!" she was fuming "First at 19, then at 16…your next star will be in nappies!"

Kalos watched her, a strange smirk on his face.

"Don't laugh at me, you…"

"I'm not laughing AT you Annett. But you do know that a newborn can't technically be our star."

"Perhaps." She mocked "But that will happen, because that's the way your stage is taking now, Kalos. Employing third and second class actresses, minors and juveniles, enjoying small sparks that flame out before the night is out, it all adds up to a show that might impress the average imbecile, but won't move somebody who is well aware of how things work. And Layla, your precious Layla, quit the stage, kicked out by some brat just because she managed to beat her at her own game."

Kalos listened for a while, then rose his hand to ask for silence.

"Annett, I can see where this is going, but let me tell you some things. First, Layla wasn't kicked out, and she didn't quit. She is producing very successful shows at Broadway, which you have obviously missed. Second, all the members of our crew are qualified professionals that make sure everything goes smoothly. And third of, none of our actresses has been chosen wrong-they are all very capable girls."

"Like that May Wong? Che, I wonder how she didn't fall off the trapeze today-her ego is so big it makes her look 60 pounds heavier. And her stage partner…Rosetta? What's a diabolo expert doing hanging on the swings like a monkey? Did you ran out of parts for her already? Your script writer must be either your relative or your lover, otherwise I can't see how could such an idiot be employed. And…performances on Broadway is nothing these days, nothing but trying to regain your lost glory."

"_This is ridiculous." _Rosetta whispered out

"_It's total bullshit! How dare she call me a second class actress!"_ May looked ready to burst a hole in the door with her fist.

"_No, that's just Annett spitting her poison."_ Layla said with disgust. Sora looked up at her idol in confusion-she had no idea that miss Hamilton was acquainted with such an impolite person. Inside, Kalos tried again to defend his employees.

"I don't know what you've been told, Annett, but our stage hasn't been better. The box is always filled, people don't stop coming, May and Rosetta make a great team, and the audience loves Sora." If Sarah was there, she would have probably burst inside and demanded her beau why was he explaining himself to that woman. But since she wasn't Kalos was left on his own.

"Told? I saw it with my own eyes. This Sora girl is so bad in concealing her self-satisfaction that she misses the timing, floating. You're trying to hide her faults in performance with skimpy threads. I can't understand how that Leon boy manages to keep it in his pants!" Annett sighed and started pacing about the room "I agree, she has something. Some…bit of talent. But she's lacking competitiveness. And determination. And class!"

"So far Sora's done just fine being herself, something I can't say about you."

"Every actor puts a permanent mask, sooner or later. You said it yourself-_so far_. Soon, the audience will grow tired of the girl overcoming gravity and then what would she do? She'll burn out!"

Kalos sighed.

"Whatever it may be, I still don't understand the reason for your visit."

"You've got a short, memory, Kalos. I'm here to act."

There was silence, and then the director burst out laughing. Sora, May and Rosetta gaped. Layla just gritted her teeth. And Annett just stared at him.

"You can't be serious. You haven't been on the stage for five years, Annett."

"Five years is a lot of time for someone who waits, yes, but it's not like I haven't seen a trapeze for all this time."

"But you can't just barge in and go on the stage like that…"

"That's how Layla did it, that's how everyone does it now. And in case you have forgotten, Kalos, I gave a lot of money so that this theatre can be. I am more of an owner even than you."

"Still accustomed to having things done your own way, are you." He sighed "What is it that you really want?"

"I'm very glad you asked. I want the stage, Kalos. I want to be the star of Kaleido….permanently."

Silence. Then Kalos rose.

"No."

"What?!"

"The decision is not mine to make, Annett. Neither is it yours. You can put a star on your door, but you need the approval of the audience, and the crew to be a real star. And right now, everyone sympathizes for Sora."

"That's why I said I wanted to perform, not take over as a director." Annett smiled like a shark that spotted her pray "I will face Sora on the stage, and I will completely demolish her."

Layla sighed again and tapped Rosetta's shoulder. The young girl nodded, and pulled May's arm. The two helped Sora up and led her to the dorms-they had heard enough. But Sora had stopped listening a long time ago.

* * *

"Who the fuck does that woman think she is?!" May was raging about the small kitchen, preparing dinner for Layla, Sora, Rosetta, Sarah, Ken and Leon. The small group had come to discuss the issue with that Annett woman over dinner…well, most of them were. Layla was glancing angrily at the floor and Sora seemd to have spaced out.

"But she can't really do what she says, right?" Ken turned to Sarah "I mean…she can't just boot Sora. And she sure as hell can't barge in here and make us turn over Kaleido Stage to her."

"I don't know." The martial artist sighed "When we first started this, Kalos was the one responsible for the funding. We were so absorbed in making Kaleido stage be that we never asked him about the money. As long as it wasn't illegal, it didn't matter. Business went off well, I thought we returned all our debts."

"But who is this Annet?"

"Perhaps our oldest star." Sarah smiled "She was the first grand actress of Kaleido stage. Back then, she was the best of the best. We were so lucky to have her we totally ignored her character and lack of manners."

"Why isn't she still here then?" Ken asked "Retired stars usually take up other jobs, like teaching or choreography."

"Because she left too early. She didn't retire." Sarah sighed "When Layla first came to the stage Annett was still on top. But when she started making her way up, Annet couldn't take it. They fought over and over, trying to prove who's best. Annett's star was setting, and Layla was young, filled with ambition, ideas and energy. She was new, to be exact. The audience loved her. What was to be done? There was no place for two stars on Kaleido, at least on Annett's opinion. So she was forced to leave."

"But why has she come back? I mean…"

"Clearly because of Sora." Layla hissed out "But don't worry. She'll be out of here in no time!"

"One thing I can't understand." Rosetta said "What did she mean by saying that Leon couldn't keep it in his pants?"

* * *


	3. Ghosts

* * *

**Ghosts**

There was silence. Mei, Layla and Sarah turned away to hide their smirks, Sora and Rosetta gave Leon blank looks, and Ken glared at the Frenchman angrily. Leon's expression didn't change, but underneath, a serious battle was being held.

Had he been that obvious? He didn't know. Surely he hadn't acted differently on stage this time, hadn't he? No, he always made sure that he never betrayed his emotion, that was how things were in show business. If you showed weakness, you were doomed.

Sure, he liked Sora very much. Well, more than liked, he was practically in love with her. She was sweet and pure and honest and she believed in the goodness of heart-something that he thought he'd never see in a person again. He enjoyed their performances and encouraged her practicing with him so that they could be together longer. He wasn't a stalker, he would certainly never force his feelings on her, and even though it was dumb, he still associated his stage partner with his sister. He was cold on the outside, but he was gentle, caring and protective of the people he cherished. He almost went insane when Sophie died. And if something happened to Sora, he knew he wouldn't take the blow.

But did that transpire? On the stage, he used the excuse of acting as a way to relieve his raging emotions and show some part of his hidden passion, without being afraid of exposure. His greatest fear, next to Sora's safety, was the exposure. What if she found out about his feelings? He couldn't imagine her reaction. He couldn't picture what she's think or say or do. Would she be scared or angry? Would she hate him and avoid him? Would she quit Kaleido stage, her life's dream just in order never to see him again? It was either that or treating him with cold civility, something which was worse than the latter proposition. Leon knew Sora looked meek and shy but she had a heart of a tigress and she didn't back out on a challenge.

He didn't know when he first came to love her. Perhaps it was after he had seen her attempt to execute the angel's act, perhaps he had loved her all along and didn't know it. What difference did it make? He burned with such passion he could supply electricity for all New York, if generators ran on emotions and raging hormones. But he was careful not to intimidate her, he knew that much. So how the hell did that woman find out about it?!

* * *

"She meant that Leon-san was doing his job unprofessionally, Rosetta." Sarah's voice brought him to reality. "And that Sora-chan wasn't good enough."

"Well that's not fair." Rosetta crossed her arms, and Sora sighed over the injustice of the accusation. Not a doubt about his position-she was as innocent as the sky was blue. Leon thanked all gods who bothered to listen about Sarah's quick intervention and affectedly ignored Mei's 'you-got-off-lucky' gaze. Ken, who always knew better, still tried to drill a hole in his back, but Leon had grown used to that.

The awkward moment was interrupted when Kalos came in, looking sicker than a dog. Sarah quickly went to him and helped him onto a coach, and then poured him a glass of whisky. Everybody looked at the manager of Kaleido stage, half trying to conceal their eagerness, half scared to learn the truth. He didn't say a word until he regained some of his color, but there was something in his look that indicated that the news were bad.

"Well?" Mei asked, when she was unable to stand it anymore "Are we really going to have to put up with that old witch?"

Kalos looked up at her, and then realizing that they had eavesdropped on his conversation with Annett, he sighed and smiled.

"It's not certain, nothing is official. For now, you have no reason to worry."

"But we heard her! She said she was going to boot Sora!" Rosetta exclaimed.

"That's not final…"

"Really, Kalos, just tell us what the matter is." Layla interrupted and crossed her arms "Why has the old bat returned?"

"Well, since you are already well informed, I don't see a reason to tell you that she wants to be back on the stage."

"This is ridiculous." Sarah exclaimed "Annett left the stage, she can't just barge in after all these years."

"Well obviously, she can."

"Kalos-san, please just tell us everything." Ken pleaded "Just…tell us the worse."

"Hey, Ken, you don't have to be that tragic about it…" Mei began, but Kalos just sighed.

"No, I better tell you so that you'd be prepared." He leaned back on the couch and looked pensively at the glass in his hand. "I…well…when we first decided to set up Kaleido stage, we were short on money…really short…so I started looking for sponsors. It was hard at first, there were hardly people that cared to listen to me, and nobody wanted to invest their money into something as unstable as a theatre. The times were really bad. And then a rich man offered me to fund the project along with several of his friends, for a small percent of the income and a place for his daughter Annett. We got her as a part of the package and for a while, nobody complained. She was good, the investors were happy and the profits came in. But when we started feeling a bit more at ease we started to see the flows in our plan and to make a long story short, we were stuck with a real pain the neck."

"But she left when Layla san came along." Sora cut in. Kalos nodded.

"Yes. She felt offended that we would give more credit to a beginner than to her. But by then we had repaid the bigger part of our debt, the investors had become a board of directors and all they cared about was profits. Annett wasn't that successful anymore, so they didn't mind her early retirement."

"But now she's back."

"Yes. Obviously, she thinks the stage is falling apart and that Sora's being the top star was the proof of it."

"But she's wrong!" Rosetta exclaimed "Kaleido stage hasn't been that well off, ever! And Sora's not planning on quitting it yet."

"That's right." Sarah nodded "You guys shouldn't worry, Annett doesn't choose the actors and she can't control the success. As long as we are successful, the board will be satisfied, right?"

"No." Kalos shook his head "Unfortunately, no. Annett's father died last year, and since then she has worked hard not only to run his money, but also to become director of the board. She holds a great deal of the auctions and the other directors are old schooled-they don't approve of innovations much."

"Stone age old." Layla murmured angrily

"Annett wasn't open for new ideas, but she was good. And if she can prove that she can beat Sora and Layla on stage, then nothing will stop the board from making her their leader AND the only Kaleido star. She'd be cheaper to keep and she'd be more to their taste."

Sinister silence reined in the room for a while. Everyone made a quick trip to the future where Annett would kick Sora out and their visions weren't very bright. Ken spoke the first.

"So how does she plan to do it?"

"Well, her plot is almost complete, and only the defeat of the current Star is missing in the picture. Very soon, Annett plans to challenge Sora and Layla and their respective partners into a match, performing different acts, and their success with the audience will be the determination factor."

"But Layla doesn't perform anymore. And that only monkey probably hasn't touched a trapeze in a thousand years." Mei spat out.

"That never really mattered to Annett." Layla gritted her teeth angrily "And I suppose the old snake didn't really want to retire, she just waited for a good opportunity. She wouldn't let herself get rusty for sure."

"But that's not fair!" Rosetta exclaimed "Sora is the true star, we all know it!"

Leon watched his beautiful partner while this entire conversation went on. Sora changed colors like a chameleon, first ghastly pale and then flaming crimson. He didn't know what to make of that, he certainly didn't know what he'd do if that woman Annett succeeded. But he was certain that right now, Sora needed something to hold onto. Stepping forward, he spoke up so that they could hear him well.

"Personally, I wouldn't be worried. That Annett person seems to talk much, but she hasn't performed the Angel's Act. I know it well, I have worked on it with my sister for a long time, and now with Sora, and I know well that it's not the technical proficiency that makes it touching, it's the hearts of the performers, and a engraved person like her can't possibly create the Spirit of the Stage."

While he spoke, he knew that his words were not a hundred percent true, but he forced himself to believe them, and with that, everyone else. With glee he saw that Sora regained her composure, and the sparks in her eyes returned, as she looked up at him and smiled at him with gratitude for the support. Just for that smile, Leon had the urge to run outside and scream with joy, but he contained himself for the sake of the moment.

"Leon is right." Layla nodded "But Annett is a predator, a very ruse predator. She's not stupid and she wouldn't come back after all this time without something in her sleeve. By challenging both me and Sora she ensures that we can't help each other, that we can't unite our forces against her. You two have to work hard, because if you don't, we'll be done for."

The little council was dismissed, after Mei fed them all with her amazing chicken noodles. Then they headed each to their respective room in the dorm, Kalos and Sarah went back to their house and Layla returned to the hotel where she stayed with Yuri.

* * *

She found her partner sitting in her room with a bottle of champagne and a box of chocolates, probably to celebrate the new season of Kaleido stage. However, the wine had gotten warm and the chocolates were melting, since she came back late. When Layla came in and asked him absent-mindedly how his business meeting had gone, Yuri just knew that something was wrong.

He was going to find out, sooner or later. Layla knew that they didn't have much time, so she told him all that she had learned about Annett's plan to destroy Kaleido stage, and their part in it. Yuri listened carefully, yes, he remembered Annett, the stupid woman that made their early days in Kaliedo a living hell.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Yuri." Layla sighed "She's just as venomous and sour as she always was, and she wants to revenge herself on me by using Sora. She's so low!"

"Well, you know it's not her fault for being a bad actress." Yuri had a heavy feeling in his stomach, but Layla didn't need his suspicions now. "Did the show go on as planned?"

"Yes, yes, Sora was beautiful."

"Well then, in that case you shouldn't worry. I know things, women like Annett are just talk."

"And what about me, Yuri? Am I just talk?" Layla asked him playfully. Her blond stage partner laughed and went over to her.

"I said women like Annett. Not like you. You, Layla, are a fine…" he stroked her neck "…beautiful…" he lowered his head "…and absolutely flawless flower." He kissed the places where his fingers had been. Layla closed her eyes and purred contentedly. Yuri caressed her like that for about a minute and then, seeing that she was calmer, said:

"What do you say we celebrate what we wanted to celebrate and forget about the old bat for a while, huh?"

"I say we should skip the starters and go on the Mayn course." Layla wrapped her arms around his neck and waited for him to pick her up, which he did.

"Of course, princess." He smiled and carried her off bridal style.

* * *


	4. A trip down memory lane

* * *

**A trip down memory lane**

Two days later, Sora was woken up early in the morning by a shouting May, telling her to get ready for practice. It was Wednesday, the official 'break day' of Kaleido stage, but the gym was already being prepared for the practice. When she got there, she discovered the whole crew was gathered up and busy.

Apart from Kalos, Sarah, Layla and Yuri, everyone was there. Mia, Ken and Anna were putting their heads together over some new script, Rosetta and Marion were jumping on the trampoline, the dance trope was warming up, even Leon was doing push-ups, urged by May, and hardly suppressed his yawns.

Sora blinked curiously as the Chinese girl called her to come and start warming up. They had a lot of things to do, she said. They had to decide a new plot, learn the choreography and most importantly-come up with a new move.

"I thought that Leon-san and I were going to do the Angel's Act." Sora asked as she went down on her arms and legs and began her push-ups.

"No…" Leon said, and there were angry notes creeping into his voice "Annett contacted the press last night. She said that there would be a competition between herself, her partner, Yuri, Layla, you and me. She already named her act."

"You're saying she wants to do the Angel's act."

"Yes! And she's shamelessly copying it from our program. She wants to be Odette!" May screamed, looking like a demon in human form.

"We can't do the same thing…" Leon panted as he got up on his feet "And Layla can't help us either. She and Killian will be training in her mansion; they'll be doing the Legendary Phoenix. This leaves us to find some new act, something that could overshadow both."

"The Angel's Act and the Legendary Phoenix?" Rosetta came down from the trampoline and went up to them "She's setting pretty high standards here, isn't she."

"Yeah, she wants to humiliate Sora and Leon in their own game. But we'll show her…" May gritted her teeth "Mia's already working on a new script, but it's up to you guys to create something new, something daring, something that'll beat them all…"

"And in a very short notice." Rosetta stated "You'll meet on stage after one month, starting today."

"One month?!" Sora got on her feet as well "But…it took ages before we mastered the Angel's act…"

"That's what Annett is depending on." Leon said "She and Layla have their acts already made, but she's not leaving us much time to decide on our performance."

"But that's…not fair…" Sora lowered her eyes, feeling the hot tears stinging them already.

"It's not, but it proves she's scared of us. And for a good reason." Leon almost visibly clenched his fists. Sora looked up at him and nodded her head-the Angel's Act had been something more than a performance for Sophie, it had been the reason of her life. And now Annett was taking advantage of it so unceremoniously…of course he was offended and upset.

"We should get started right away, but first…" May dragged a TV in the room and placed a cassette in the player "I dug up some old footage of Annett, so that we can see what are we dealing with."

* * *

The tape showed a performance of a 17 year old Annett, in a play called "Giselle". They watched with awe the beautiful girl with chestnut locks that swung with such ease on the trapeze, as if she had been given wings. Her perfect porcelain face had a lovely smile painted on, but there was something in her eyes that showed perfect coldness. For some reason, Sora thought that the part of Myrtha would've suited her better than the part of Giselle.

"There, look at that!" May showed the scene where Giselle and her beloved executed their last dance. The music was a thrilling piece for viola, a melody that reached out into the hearts of people. And the act the acrobats executed was wonderful, but there was that coldness into Annett's eyes that ruined it all.

"This act is…good…" Mia said "It's called 'Wings of love'." She gave Leon and Sora a look "Do you think you can do it?"

"Yes." The Frenchman answered calmly "She stole our act…I think it's only fair that we return the favor. Right, Sora?"

She didn't answer. She just nodded sadly.

* * *

Giselle…the tale of the young woman, whose only fault was to be born a peasant. A handsome prince falls in love with her and approaches her as a poor boy, but when the treachery is discovered, Giselle dies of the shock and broken heart. One year later, the prince finds himself on her grave, begging her for forgiveness, and he encounters the Willis, the ghosts of young maidens that died before they were wed. Their queen Myrtha summons Giselle and the Willis capture the prince into a dance that would bring him to his death. But then Giselle comes in and helps the prince to dance until the dawn, when the Willis have to go back underground. In the end, she must go as well, but is happy that she has saved her beloved from certain death.

The music was by Adolph Adam, a composer who wrote the ballet 'Giselle' and in fact, the final scene where Giselle and her prince dance is the one where the 'Wings of love' act is to be performed.

Everybody started working on it immediately. Some said they should do as Annett and copy the whole scene, some said that there must be a change. Mia started looking up the exact steps, and Anna complained that there wasn't any comedy in this play. Leon and Sora went on their trapeze.

* * *

What they didn't know was that, from the window, three pairs of shrewd eyes were watching them.

"So…" Annett hissed quietly as she put the telephone away "Our little amateurs think they can get things right? Well, that will be a sight to see."

* * *

"Easy there, Sora!" Mia yelled "Not so fast. Ok, that was too slow. Just…imagine you are a graceful gazelle that dances through the forest. Ok, maybe not that graceful. Aim for the bar, ok?"

"No, no, no, your right foot goes left, that's how you turn." The choreographer yelled "You can't do it like that."

"Sora, this is the climax of the scene, put some spirit into it. The dawn comes, your beloved is saved, look relieved."

"SORA! Not like that!"

4 o'clock in the afternoon, and they were getting nowhere. The steps had been settled, something between the original version and a new version. They said it went well, but all Sora wanted right now was to get off the trapeze and have a cold shower. Every muscle in her body objected to this new program, she couldn't get the moves right, everybody was shouting something and everyone wanted something from her.

But something was wrong. Everything was wrong. She couldn't get into the spirit of the play, she couldn't possibly start to understand her character, let alone to bring out those emotions needed. As they were watching the tape of their performance over and over again and compared it with the recordings of Leon and Sora's practice, they saw nothing in common. There were just…moves, scattered turns and jumps, with to real connection. And Sora…Sora just looked like another Annett, only a lot more tired.

"Ok, folks…" Mia said "Let's call it quits for the day, we did a lot of work for now…"

"No!" May panted "We've got to go on. I need to get into my Myrtha part, and Sora and Leon surely can do another hour."

"We shouldn't overwork ourselves, May!" Rosetta gave her partner a pat on the shoulder "Remember, if you get your shoulder dislocated again, there won't be a performance for you, and your entry on the stage is barely three minutes."

"Yeah, but those must be perfect three minutes!"

"Oh, admit it-you just want to show Annett how good you are."

"Damn straight I do! I'm not letting her call me a third-class actress and get away with it!"

"May, just do as you are told." Leon snapped "Rosetta has a point, if we injure ourselves, there won't be a performance and there are many other ways to practice moves."

"Well, would you mind delaying your practice for a while?" A cold voice rang from the door. Everyone turned to see Annett, standing in the practice room, her eyes scanning everything without a miss.

"What do you want?!" May bared her teeth.

"Oh, quiet down, puppy." She waved her hand "I just want to talk to Sora, that's all." She gave the strawberry-haired girl a mocking look "That is, if she's not too busy."

* * *


	5. The victory

* * *

**The victory**

The sun was shining over the beach, sending golden paths through the calm sea. The two acrobats stood on the bridge, enjoying the unusually warm autumn weather...or so it seemed.

Annett looked impeccable in her white 'Prada' shirt, black 'Roberto Cavalli' pants and Gucci shoes. Her auburn hair was arranged in an expensive hairdo. Compared to her, Sora looked like something the cat dragged it. Usually she didn't pay much attention to what she wore, and she considered her messy state a proof of her hard work. But right now she just wished she looked as half as feminine and pretty as the woman next to her.

"So, I understand you're doing the 'Wings of love'. Giselle is a cute play…" she said cute as if it was something taken from a Care Bear movie. "But it's wholly wrong for you. If you want to lose, Sora, why don't you just say it?"

"I don't understand what you're talking about." Sora pursed her lips. And how did she know what they were doing, unless….unless she had someone to spy for her there.

"There is no need to play dumb." Annett waved her hand dismissively, as if to chase away a fly "I know everything about everybody, that's my job as a director of the board of Kaleido Stage. I'm sure you already know that." Sora chose to remain silent. "Listen, darling, there are two ways you can do this-the easy way is to give up, leave me and Layla to settle this between ourselves and go back to the play-ground...like you should. The hard way is to copy my performance, play with the big girls and suffer a big time failure."

"I don't see why you want to make me give up so badly…" Sora began "But it won't work!"

"Make you give up!" Annett laughed "Please, child, I merely want to spare you the disappointment when I prove that you don't belong here. Do you honestly think that by copying my 'Giselle' you'd actually achieve something? You and that Leon Oswald don't understand the first thing about partnership, and yet you want to do such a dangerous maneuver as 'Wings of love'? Darling, you have much to do."

Sora just watched.

"Take my advice and give up. But if you don't, I won't be mad…" Annett cooed as she made her way to her car "After all, no matter what you do, you won't win."

She left in a cloud of dust, leaving Sora alone.

* * *

"What did the old bat want from you?!" May asked when Sora came back. The top star of Kaleido stage didn't answer, her head bowed low and her eyes dimmed with sadness.

"Oh, dear, what did she say to you?" Sarah, who had just arrived, wrapped her arms around Sora. "Trying to discourage you, was she? Please, don't tell me you fell for it."

"No…" Sora answered in a hollow voice "But she made me think."

"What?"

"She knows what we're going to do." Sora said, while sitting down "She knows and she doesn't care. She's certain that we're going to fail."

"Well, we'll just prove her wrong, right?!" Ken tried to cheer her up "How hard could it be, I mean, you've done more impossible things than that."

* * *

A few days later Sora was beginning to wonder if Annett hadn't done something to her fellow crew members. The entire troop was paranoid, nervous and tense. Arguments started over the silliest of things, nothing was at place, now and then somebody blamed somebody else in spying for Annett.

Sora sighed-of course, she was getting the most of it. She was the top star, she had to put on a perfect performance, and she worked the hardest. Every day she came to her room, and she was so tired she wanted to cry.

However, the hard training wasn't the thing that made her sad-she'd seen worse. But the stage wasn't fun anymore. They weren't training to make a good show, they trained to win. That never worked. Her heart was heavy with grief, because everyone was so concentrated on the victory that they forgot the important things.

Where was the spirit of the stage? What happened to the true star? Sora lied in her bed and thought about it.

Ever since Annett arrived, she talked about the class of a star. She insisted that neither Layla, nor Sora had whatever it took to make things work. She issued a challenge and they worked hard to make their performances worthwhile…but Annett never performed herself. They hadn't seen anything from her, side from that tape, made a few years back. She seemed so cold and bitter, like winter frost. And all she did was to freeze people, kill their emotions.

Was that her strategy, Sora asked herself. To scare them out of their wits, to steal the spirit of the stage from their hearts and by that, 'kill' their performance? Was that possible? Could she really do something so cruel just to win? She remembered the Circus Festival in Paris and thought 'Yes'. Performers generally didn't care about the heart of the stage, they just wanted to win.

And it worked. Kaleido stage wasn't whole anymore. That's what she meant when she said they had no chance of winning. It was hopeless.

"No!" Sora thought "I can't let the stage down! That's how Annett would do, not me!"

* * *

At the same time she heard a loud moan come from May's room. Sora turned around clueless, then went out in the corridor. It felt like she was…sobbing.

"You heartless bastard!" May yelled out and threw a pillow across the room.

Rosetta, Anna, Mia and Sora entered the room at the same time, screaming: "What's going on!", but they only found May, sitting on the couch and looking at them, perfectly composed.

"What is it?" she asked

"That's what we wanted to ask you!" Rosetta exclaimed "You were crying so loud we thought something happened to you!"

"Yeah, you sounded absolutely heartbroken."

"I did, didn't I?!" May beamed with self-satisfaction.

"What? Don't tell me some jerk didn't just break up with you! It would've been a nice plot for a comedy."

"No." May sighed "I was getting into my role. The Willis are young maidens that died of a broken heart before they were ever married. So I thought that if I am to be Queen of the Willis, I should be the most heartbroken." She grinned widely

The four girls exchanged tired looks and sighed.

"May, it's nice that you're taking your part so seriously…" Mia began

"But couldn't you be heartbroken in a quieter way?" Anna finished

"Oh, you guys are so dull!" the prima Donna pouted. "All I wanted to do was to give my contribution to the show. I mean, it's only for a minute, but I want that minute to be absolutely perfect!"

"Yeah, you already told us…" Sora sat down next to her stage partner "But aren't you taking this too far? I mean, copying out Annett's old performance isn't what we should do to win."

"But she copied out ours, and she doesn't mind if we use hers."

"But that's just…repeating what she did. There's no spirit in it."

"I know!" May threw her hands in the air "That's why I'm making my part of it as realistic as possible."

"Yeah, but if you've never been in love, how can you know how to be heartbroken?" Anna asked

"Who says!?" May exclaimed "I have a lot of experience in dating. I just don't have a boyfriend NOW because…well, because I don't want one. The Stage is my big love and I don't have time for such mediocre things like romance."

"What, have they all dumped you?"

May's face fell.

"Actually, I like to think that I was the one to dump them. They were too lousy for my attention anyway. I was too busy preparing to be the star of Kaleido stage, and if they couldn't understand that, then we can't have a future together. I need a man that would respect my sense of privacy and my dreams. Now that kind of man is worth my tears!"

"You're wrong, May, no man is worth your tears." Anna sighed "I'd definitely like a guy who understands me…"

"But lots of guys understand you." Mia said "They laugh at your jokes, right?"

"No, they laugh when I tell them I want to be a comedian. For some reason they think it's the same as being a clown, and they think it's exquisitely entertaining. I don't like people who laugh at your dreams."

"Yeah, we girls like supportive guys." Mia looked up through the window dreamingly "So May…you say none of your boyfriends was worth it?"

"Nobody understood me. None of them felt the magic of the stage. And they were sooo dull!" May sighed "I mean, the most romantic thing that happened to me was that a geek once took me to the theatre, but he was really ignorant of what happened behind the stage and criticized the actors all the time. And even though I like it when they're nice and safe and all, but sometimes I'd love it if somebody takes me by the arm, steals me from my cares and we race the sunrise in a very fast car."

"So a spontaneous type, eh? I'd stick to roses and poetry." Mia said.

"What about you, Sora?" Rosetta turned to her idol "What's your idea of a romantic date?"

"Me?" Sora looked astonished "Well, I really haven't thought about it."

"What?"

"Don't tell me you've never been in love!"

"That's not it, right, Sora?"

"Boy, your first date must've been a real sap!"

"No, no…" Sora waved her hands "It's just that…all I wanted was to become a good acrobat. My aunt and uncle did so much for me, I couldn't let them down. I couldn't let anything distract me, and to be honest, I never really thought about boys."

"Really? No boyfriends, no marriage, no relationship whatsoever?" Even May was astonished

"No, not like that. I mean…I knew I'd fall in love someday, so I wasn't worried about that never happening."

"But if you don't put some efforts into getting some guy, they'll think you're a tomboy."

"No, I really don't…"

"So, Sora…" Anna cut in "Hypothetically, what kind of guy would you like?"

The girl paused. As soon as the words 'guy you like' reached her ears, Leon's image popped into her head. Why? Even though he was opening up to people, he remained cold. He wasn't the kind, warm and sweet guy, like Ken, but there was something more to him, something more than the sadness and reserve. The time when he pulled her in the middle of "Romeo and Juliet" came to her mind-the way he had dragged her there, gently, but firmly, and the way he didn't let her leave, the desperation and speed…it all betrayed a different side of him, a side burning with passion and power, a side well hidden under a wall of ice…perhaps it was for the best. If Leon let that passion loose, who knows what would happen. Just thinking about it, Sora felt a chill run down her spine. Surprisingly, it wasn't the least unpleasant.

"Oh, leave her alone! How can she know what kind of guy she'd like if she hasn't been on a date!? I say we concentrate on the performance."

"Yeah…what do you think about adding a spectacular entry for Sora. Something like what Leon did in "Romeo and Juliet"?"

"No, that's not like Albert. He's supposed to be heartbroken and in despair, and Giselle is supposed to bring back his will to live. Dragging her out isn't what he'd do."

"Yeah, but it's something Leon would do…" Sora heard herself saying. She was mortified, but she couldn't stop the words from flowing out. "He just doesn't seem like the kind of guy who'd give up easily on the ones he loves."

'Maybe you're right, but that Leon, not Albert. Oh, this is so not for us, but what can we do on such a short notice!" Mia exclaimed.

The five girls started talking about the performance, but Sora just couldn't concentrate. Where had those words come from? Was Fool toying with her again? She didn't remember thinking about those things, they just happened. Since when did she know so much about Leon? She felt so embarrassed, such presumptuousness was not like her. Nobody seemed to notice what she said. Had she dreamed up saying them? Or was this a cry from the heart…

Little did she know that her words had struck somebody. After the girls picked up another topic, Leon slowly continued his walk under the windows.

* * *


	6. Leon's birthday

**So sorry this update took so long. I hope it's worth the waiting.**

* * *

**Leon's birthday**

There were two weeks before the big showdown and things were heated up. The crew was getting more and more nervous, but thankfully, they had a visit that cheered things up.

Since Layla had to be Sora's rival in the challenge, she couldn't come to see them practice, but she sent her friend and director Kathy to give them a hand.

They greeted her cordially and she, of course, gladly accepted to watch their performance. When Sarah asked if Annett could make a problem out of this, Kathy just waved her hand:

"I'm not assigned to help Layla or Annett. Officially, I can offer my services as a consultant to anyone, and since you were the first on my list, I'll gladly assist you. Besides, Layla is a big girl-she knows how to captivate the audience without my help."

However, as it turned out, they needed her help…a lot. Ten minutes had barely passed and Kathy yelled:

"STOP! Stop! Cut the music! Everyone, on the ground!"

Mia instinctively took cover behind her clipboard and moved to the fares end of the room, seeking refuge in the shadows. As the actors made their way to the consultant-director, gulping and sweating (except for Leon, of course), Kathy was rubbing her eyebrow and tried to compose herself.

"Ok, so you guys are trying to use some old move, there's nothing wrong with that. But who told you that you have to copy everything step by step from there? Especially you two-" she turned to Sora and Leon "I can't recognize you up there. You're so absorbed into copying out the original performance that you look like a pair of lifeless dolls! When I watched 'Swan Lake' I was at the angels, and now I really don't see what's gotten into you. You hardly look at each other, and every time you touch, it feels awkward! What kind of a Giselle is that?!"

May shuddered-she remembered when Kathy scolded her exactly the same way. She looked at Sora, who seemed to lose her color by the minute, and then she turned to Leon's expressionless face. What was going on there?

Suddenly, he opened his mouth to speak.

"I understand you, Kathy, but we haven't polished this move yet. It takes a lot of time and practice and there is still a lot to do. We can't really look like lovers when we're trying not to break our necks."

"But if you don't have time to come up with a new move, you don't have time to master an old one either. There will be a jury of 10 judges, all world-famous acrobats, that will evaluate your moves, but the winner will be determined by the audience, and the audience can't care less about the perfection of your moves."

With an exasperated sigh Kathy sank into her chair and rubbed her eyes.

"Look, people go to theatre to see the better side of life, brought to them by the actor's play. Canceling a performance would be better than putting on a show with no heart in it. You guys can make this act even better if you only express your characters freely."

"The act we chose is hard…"

"If it comes down to technical difficulty, the Angel's Act beats them all. That's why Annett chose it-because it will compensate here lack of heart. But you guys can do better." Kathy got up and started to walk out of the room "Think about that!"

* * *

The wings of love…Giselle's tragic fate…Just how complicated would this get? Sora remembered what Annett said, that she and Leon didn't know the first thing about partnership. Yes, perhaps she was right. Partners trusted each other on every possible aspect. Leon preferred to keep things to himself. Sometimes that pissed her off, but most of the time it was best not to know what's going on in his head.

But the maneuver! She knew the feeling when she did the Angel's act, and supposed that was some sort of love. All she had to do was concentrate the feeling on one person and…but how on Earth could she even start thinking about loving Leon when he was driving her insane with that cold demeanor of his, and that attitude. Honestly, he was acting as if she were a child.

What's wrong with him, she thought. She was his partner, (possibly) his friend, and a full grown woman, and she had the breasts to prove it! Why couldn't he just open up to her? Why couldn't he treat her like a real person?

Slowly, she made her way to the calendar that hung from the changing room wall. October was going to turn into November soon and there wasn't much time until the big showdown…then Sora looked at the little boxes more carefully and slapped a hand over her mouth.

* * *

The next day, she had to gather all her courage to speak to Leon and invite him out to lunch. To her great surprise, he accepted and went with her to a small bistro near the seaside.

The place was nice and clean, the wind off the sea brought lots of fresh air, and the view was great. A friendly waitress brought them some menus, but Sora couldn't concentrate on anything. Right now she was capable of eating raw octopus without noticing-Leon's mere presence was that enchanting.

She examined him while pretending to read the menu. The way his silver hair fell around his shoulders, the way his eyes traveled through the lines, the way his mouth curved into a, barely, smile. She wished he could smile like that more often. She wished he could smile like that to her. Oh, she really wished a lot of things, but the chance of anything happening was practically zero.

"_No way…"_ she thought _"I managed to bring out the heart of the stage, how hard would it be to bring out Leon's heart?"_ thinking about this she suddenly pulled a long face _"Sometimes, I think the heart of the stage is easier to find then Leon's. Honestly, I'm working so hard to keep this from falling, while he's driving me so crazy I just want to let it drop and…"_

She snapped back to reality when the menu was taken from her hands by the friendly waitress, leaving her unshielded against Leon's enquiring stare. Great, now what? She asked him to lunch because it was his birthday and she wanted to treat him, but God help her, he drained every rational thought away from her mind.

"I…erm…" she began, but realizing it was futile, shut her mouth and looked at her hands.

Unknowingly to her, Leon had been observing her as well. And just like her, he was short on subjects to talk about.

Although he was nicknamed 'The Grim reaper", Leon had never been short on girls who would kill each other to become his partner and girlfriend. Of course, most of them had been disappointed, not being able to rise to his challenge, but then again, he was never looking for romance. Once you gave your heart to somebody they tended to juggle with it instead of keeping it safe.

But Sora…did she even realize what she was doing to him, while she was throwing him these cute, innocent glances? Oh, boy! He was seriously fallen for her.

"You seem tense." Genius, he scolded himself, of course she's tense, it's her position that's on stake here.

"Well, I…em…" she looked at the salt shaker as if Van Gogh's Sunflowers had magically appeared on it. "I was actually wondering how to say this…How do you say 'Happy birthday' in French?"

"Joyeux Anniversaire." He replied.

"Then…um…Joyeux Anniversaire, Leon." She smiled, but then her smile faded when she saw his blank expression "I'm so sorry, did I get it wrong? Is my pronunciation bad? I'm not very confident with the 'e' and…"

"No, it was fine…" great actually "I just had a hard time understanding your point."

"Oh…Your birthday is today, right?"

"Yes, it is…Oh, is that why…" for a second there was true liveliness in his eyes, but then he went silent "Sorry, it just slipped my mind."

"How can you forget your own birthday?" she asked, looking dumbstruck

"It's not like we don't have a lot on our hands now." He shrugged, as the waitress laid two plaits in front of them "I hope you don't mind, I ordered the specialty."

"No, it's great." She beamed happily, and while she was busying herself with the dish in front of herself pursued the theme. "So you…just forgot?"

"Mostly, yes." He nodded "Truth to be told, I haven't celebrated my birthday in…almost 4 years. Since…" he pursed his lips and concentrated on his lunch.

Sora played with her fork, while curling a piece of hair around her finger. The air was filled with nervous silence-perhaps it was stupid to push her luck, but she broke it.

"I'm sorry, I completely forgot…"

"Why are you apologizing for?" oh, there was lots, she thought-the theme of Sophie was very delicate and nobody wanted to talk about it because it touched a too sensitive string in Leon's soul. It usually agitated him a lot and the perpetrators were punished gravely.

"I didn't want to upset you, it's your birthday, after all…"

"Never mind. There is nothing to be sorry for, it wasn't your fault."

"But you never…talk about it. You give everyone who dares question you a death glare and…" she slapped her hand over her mouth, realizing what she had done. But Leon just looked slightly amused.

"That's right, I don't. But…I don't mind anymore."

"You used to get very angry with people if they asked you about it."

"I did, didn't I?" he sighed "If I have to be honest, I really don't know anymore. I used to think that Sophie's memory had to be preserved untouched no matter what and that anyone who tried asking about her was too presumptuous. But in truth, I was just looking for excuses. Like Killian said, time had been at a standstill since she died. I guess I have to move on."

"Is this why you don't celebrate your birthday?"

"No, not really. I just didn't have somebody with whom to spend it." Sora opened her mouth to say it was impossible, but then she remembered what she had thought when he first made an appearance in Kaleido Stage-he was cold and arrogant with anyone, even she had been taken aback by his attitude. Yes…given the way he was treating people, it was no wonder that he had no friends.

While she was standing there, like the French say, _bouche bee_, Leon suddenly said:

"This is very good, you should try it." And without a further warning put a piece of the food in her mouth. Sora automatically chewed, her eyes widened with surprise at his sudden gesture. She swallowed hard.

"Wow…it really is good. Um…would…would you like some of mine? It's all very good."

"Yes, we should send our compliments to the chef here." He nodded with a small smile and moved to the chair on her left so that they could be closer.

When they decided to get going, Sora reached to pay for the meal, but Leon beat her to the bill and quickly paid the waitress.

"Hey, that's not…" she tried to protest, but he silenced her with one look.

"It's my birthday, Sora, the least you can do is let me pay."

"But…I haven't gotten you anything…"

"Spending the day with me is enough." He smiled warmly, which made her thankful that she was sitting, because her knees gave out.

"Ok." She nodded stiffly and carefully got up.

* * *

After informing Mia that they would take the rest of the day off, they turned off their cell phones and started walking on the beach. They climbed the rocks and looked for sea shells, they chased the seagulls (ok, Sora chased them and Leon ran after her), they left miles of sand behind them while talking for the most random of things and sat on the dunes to watch the waves crush in the pear. They were close enough to smell each other, so close that the hems of their jackets touched, but not quite close enough to hold hands.

The night caught them a long distance from cape Mary. They watched the sunset from a small, picturesque beach, while seated on an old, wrecked boat, covered in clams and seaweed. When the first stars shun over their heads and the moon showered the land with its pale light, they finally decided to head back.

"Ne, Leon-san…" Sora said while they were climbing the hill towards the road. "Are you…worried because of Annett-san's challenge."

"I would be lying if I say I didn't." he looked around to determine their direction. "However, it would be pointless to let my nerves get the best of me now. We still have a long way to go."

"Everybody's so tense…" she stuffed her hands in her pockets and shivered from the sudden chill in the air. Leon took his scarf off and wrapped it around her neck. Sora smiled with gratitude, before continuing "They seem to have forgotten everything we've gone through…everything that happened…every emotion we felt while performing Swan Lake. And I'm really scared…that if we don't do something about it, we're going to lose everything."

Leon looked at her, then laced his arm through hers and drove her closer so that she could get some of his warmth. They walked silently, while the lights of the city appeared in front of them, and the road slowly filled with cars. It would've been easy to catch a cab and get to the dorms, but instead they went on walking. Sora's head slowly rested on his shoulder, weighing sleepily, but he didn't mind. Right now he felt like savoring this moment.

When the dark outlines of the dorms appeared in front of them, they suddenly changed pace and went down an old road, hidden behind bushes and offering them a safe refuge from anyone who might still be on the lookout for them. While they worked their way to the wall of the girl's dorm, he said:

"I don't know about the others, but I'll do my best to make this performance our best."

"Thanks, Leon-san, but…"

"And not just the way we're going to perform the maneuver. We'll bring the spirit of the stage out. And I'll make sure the others understand that."

She looked up at him, eternal gratitude shining in her eyes…and even something more. Getting right under her second floor terrace, Leon made a stool with his hands and helped her jump up. Sora landed soundlessly and turned back to look at him-he was already heading towards the men's dorm.

"Leon!" she half-shouted, half-whispered, just about loud enough to get his attention. He turned and saw her smile…oh, that beautiful smile. For a second there he wondered if he would make it to his room given that his bones were turning to rubber. "Joyeuse Anniversaire! And thank you."

He smiled as well and waved her, before using the water pipe to climb to his window. Sora watched with admiration until he was almost there, and then hid in her room. When she was removing her coat she finally realized that she still had his scarf wrapped around her. She sniffed it carefully, then smiled dreamingly.

* * *

A/N-I don't know why am I so moody for cute scenes right now. Maybe it's because of "The perfect gift" by littlemissvampire21? A very touching story, by the way, I recommend it to you all. wavez Toodles.


	7. Leave the rest to me

* * *

**Leave the rest to me**

Peace, however, turned out to be only temporary. As the big showdown was approaching, Sora and Leon were beginning to feel more and more of the crushing pressure performers experienced before their first night. Rumor that the three top stars of Kaleido stage were going to have a contest to see which one was the best spread like wildfire. Tickets sold out faster than ever and it was going to be an occasion to celebrate, if the future of the stage wasn't on stake.

There was one week before the show, then five days, then three. People ran around, counted the hours before the big night and freaked out over the smallest of details. The pressure on the top stars was backbreaking, everyone seemed angry. May's usual overreacting because of her part was not cheering people as usual, Sarah couldn't find the time to smile, even Rosetta and Marion seemed to be getting in the way.

Sora and Leon did their best to make the act as perfect as possible, but they just didn't seem to get over the awkwardness between them. One day, three days before the big performance, they tried a lift and Sora didn't make it. That actually tipped the whole thing off.

"For crying out loud, Sora, just put some backbone into this. Are you trying to ruin this for us?"

"Me? I'm so strained I can hardly stay calm for five seconds! I work on my limit to pull this one off and you go ahead and ruin it with that cold glare of yours!" Sora, who hadn't had a decent night's rest during the last 48 hours, was finally getting the best out of her insomnia. "Kathy-san was right, how can we win when the closest thing to a passionate love for you is that mocking smirk of yours!"

"Well, perhaps I would have more time to practice my looks if I wasn't busy trying to stay up." Leon snapped back "And since we're on the attitudes theme, you should try trusting me more before criticizing my face."

"What do you mean?" she eyed him angrily

"Look at me in the eye and tell me you're not frightened of me." He stepped forward so that their noses almost touched "Tell me you can trust me and I'll say it's all my fault."

"What do you mean?" she looked away embarrassingly "I don't get it."

"You're saying we should give our all to this, but you can't stay calm whenever I'm around you, as if my mere presence is frightening you. As if the concept of me touching you is revolting."

"WELL, I WOULDN'T BE SCARED IF YOU DIDN'T FREESE MY BLOOD WITH COLD!" Sora yelled. Leon looked at her for a good couple of minutes, before sighing loudly.

"That's enough for today. We've both had too much."

* * *

He went to his room in the dorm, fully intending to take a cold shower and spend the rest of this day lying with a book, with the phone turned off. It usually helped him calm down after fights, but this time he felt as if his head was full of bees and that he wouldn't be able to regain his composure for quite some time. So when he found a message left for him upon returning, he was more or less glad to take it…even though it wasn't from a person he liked.

Ten minutes later, after refreshing himself and changing into a pair of clean clothes, Leon got out of the dorms and headed towards the centre of Cape Mary, to the Savoy Hotel.

Upon entering the bar, he noticed two things-one, it was almost empty, and two, they were already expecting him. The waiter showed him to a small corner table where Annett Blanche was waiting for him, cigarette in one hand and a glass of gin in the other.

"Mon cher Leon, it's so nice of you to come. Do sit down." She smiled "Can I offer you a drink?"

"No, but you can offer me an explanation." Leon, fully intending to stand up, satisfied himself with just taking off his scarf. "I'm busy."

"Obviously, if you could spare the time to come here, you can sit down and enjoy a drink for old time's sake."

"What is the meaning of this?" he eyed her angrily "You can't just call people out of the blue and tell them to come and meet you as if they're dogs that are meant to follow your orders."

Annett smirked.

"Well, you cam, dear, so I guess it's partly true." She showed him again to sit down and this time he obeyed, though reluctantly. "Gin? Or perhaps something stronger."

"I'd rather not." Leon crossed his arms and silently asked for explanation once again. Annett, feeling that the conversation was going nowhere, sighed and left her cigarette in the ash tray.

"What is so wrong in old friends having a drink together? It's not like we're on a date again. By the way, Sora does seem to have some strange ideas for spending time with her beau, don't you agree."

"Have you been watching us?" Leon felt his face going red with anger. Of course she had, that was Annett. He knew she had spies following their every move in the training hall, but he had to be dammed if he thought she'd go so low as to have someone spying on their personal lives.

"Leon, Leon, mon chere, I was just worried. Women fight to get close to you, but in the end none of them can last. Not that I'm worried-if you keep freezing their blood with cold, you'll have to go back to me."

"I thought we had an agreement." He hissed, not missing the fact that she was using the exact same words as Sora did earlier. "You'd stay away from me and I will stay quiet about that thing you did to me."

"It's been a long time. Besides, you haven't told anyone, so deep inside, I guess you liked it."

"If you called me out here to insult me, then I am leaving."

"Stay where you are." Her eyes suddenly undertook a dangerous look "You're not leaving until we have our talk." Leon pursed his lips angrily, but noticed with the corner of his eye a bunch of men in black suits lurking in the corners. So she was still up to her old tricks. He calculated that he could take out at least two of them and jump out of the hotel, but you could never know with Annett. The best thing was to play along until all the cards were not laid out on the table.

He turned to her and nodded, showing that he was listening.

"All I want to do is save you, mon cher Leon. You know that after Kaleido Stage goes down most of the staff will be fired. All except a selected few (aka spies), and I don't really want you to go."

"Why? According to you, I'm an unprofessional when it comes to the trapeze. Why keep me?"

"You know very well what I meant, Leon. But while Sora is a silly little dilettante, you have something. You accomplished the Angel's Act, you are a true devil, but you can't work with her." she leaned forward and ran her fingers down his cheek. He shivered-the touch was like the caress of a spider. Ignoring him, Annett reached down to his neck, but he seized her hand and squeezed it tight.

"You see?" She smiled triumphantly "You have a lot of passion hidden underneath that mask of a face, but Sora doesn't have the fire to melt the ice. That's why you look like an ice sculpture. With me, that can change."

"Are you done?" he pushed her arm away "Because if you are, I'm leaving."

Annett looked at him unbelievingly.

"You know she can't live up to Sophie, yet you still love her so? How can you betray your sister in such a way, Leon?"

Suddenly, without caring much about the outcome of the situation, Leon slammed his fist on the table and leaned forward.

"What do you know about love, when the only person you've ever cared for is you." He whispered lowly. Annett's face flushed with anger.

"Is that your final response?" he didn't say a word, just kept staring at her. "Very well. Close the door on your way out."

But before he had even left the hotel premises, she was dialing a number on her cell phone. If she let this go by unnoticed then her name wasn't Annett Blanche.

* * *

Preparing for a huge show was hard, but doing it when your two top stars didn't work together was practically impossible. The stylists, choreographers and screen writers ran between Sora and Leon, asking them for their opinion over various topics. Everyone was strained, but the looks those two threw people could drain all emotion form them.

They practiced separately and talked as little as possible. Sora was already beginning to regret about having yelled at him, but she just couldn't find the proper way to approach him. The big day came and she headed towards her dressing room, with a heavy heart and dark thoughts. The stage costume was waiting for her, a dream made out of a delicate matter, in blue and white, with gently flowing skirts and open shoulders. She stared at it for a good five minutes, before slowly starting to undress herself.

How could she manage it? Leon was hardly looking at her, how could she really do it? Was Annett really right? Was she too immature to meet the requirements of a true star and manage all? Was her moment on the stage just another case of five minutes of glory?

There was a knock on the door, and, thinking that Mia had come to help her with her costume, Sora yelled: "Come in". However, when she didn't hear her friend's gentle voice greeting her, she turned to the door and froze stiff upon seeing Leon standing there. His face wasn't frozen in its usual expressionless mask-his eyes were wide, his jaw was hanging and his cheeks were slowly growing pink. Sora blinked a couple of times before realizing that she was in her 'delicates', then let out a small squeak of surprise and hid behind the dressing screen.

"Leon-san…What are you doing here?" she managed, before daring a look. He had closed the door and was now studying the ceiling very hard.

"I just…wanted to talk to you…" he began and swallowed hard "Do you…need help with your dress?"

"Um…well…" She quickly jumped into the costume and started to fight with the zipper. Leon came up behind her and helped her with the various zips and ribbons. While his hands were working on her back, Sora's face was growing redder than a tomato and she found the words barely coming out of her throat. But before he retreated, she took a deep breath and shot out:

"I'm sorry about the other day, I shouldn't have yelled." And then blushed harder…as possible as that was.

Leon paused before answering.

"It's ok. We're all stressed, you don't have to apologize."

"No, I do." She quickly whirled around and looked at him in the eye "I really must, Leon-san. You have to know. I…really am sorry. It's not as if you're a cruel person, I was just…"

"I was asking for it." He shook his head "I shouldn't have been so selfish."

"So…you want us to forget about it…" was that disappointment in her voice? Sora couldn't believe she was saying that. But Leon just smiled.

"No, not forget. We both can get a good lesson from this…but now I wanted to ask you something. The stage is important to you…it's as important as it was to Sophie and I understand that…that's why I want this to work out."

"But…we don't have time to practice…" Sora babbled out, but her took one of her hands in his, and with the other cupped her chin.

"We don't have to. We just have to picture it." He sighed "Can you trust me, Sora?"

"I…of course."

"Then mean it. Please, just go out on that stage and, only for these ten minutes, look at me in the eye and convince yourself that you love me. And leave out all the rest to me."

* * *


	8. Dancing on the wings of love

* * *

**Dancing on the wings of love**

Sora felt chills run down her spine as she stepped out of the dressing room and sat down in the small antechamber to wait for her turn on the stage. Layla smiled at her from her corner-the Hamilton heiress was dressed in her wonderful Phoenix costume and Yuri, who sat beside her, looked like a real prince in his red and white attire. Annett, however, was nowhere in sight.

Venturing closer to her idol, Sora tried to fake a smile:

"Layla-san, I'm glad you're ok."

"Hmm…why shouldn't I be?" she asked with a gentle look in her eyes "After all, there's nothing to be afraid of, Sora. It's just old moves on a new turf."

"But Annett-san…"

"Don't let her get into your head." Layla stood up and patted her shoulder "Sora, you may think it's hard and terrifying, but she's just trying to scare you off. No matter what she tells you, we all know what kind of stars we are and that's the most important."

Sora smiled and nodded.

"Are you ready?" Layla asked.

"Well…I've practiced the move as much as possible, and Leon-san…" she blushed "He's given me some advice…but I'm still uncertain about it all…I'm not sure if we're able to make it all happen."

"You're doubtful about your acting."

"Yes…" Sora admitted and bowed her head. Layla smiled

"No matter how many times I go out on stage, I still feel uncertain as well….but if you look deep into your heart you'll find what you need."

Layla turned to walk out for her performance.

"We hold the keys to all the answers, Sora, nobody else." She said, then entered the stage.

* * *

Leon was still discussing the details for their performance with Ken when Annett finally entered the antechamber. Sora, who was busy watching Layla hardly noticed her, but when she stood by her side there was no way to avoid it. The small girl looked up and gasped-Annett's costume was perfectly cut, white chiffon and silk, and she had beautiful veil wings attached to her back. But everything seemed to lose its glamour when you looked at her face-twisted into a devious smirk, mocking the innocent girl in front of her.

"Well, I cannot say I didn't warn you." She drawled and flipped her hair back. "I just hope you can handle loss, Sora, dear."

"Why are you so certain you'll win? Nothing has been decided yet." Sora rose to her feet, fists clenched in the curls of her skirts.

"Because I know what the audience wants…what it really wants. Remember when Leon came here for the first time and you fought to perform both parts at the same time? Remember when the audience found out? They didn't cheer."

Sora's heart sunk. That's right, they hadn't cheered. They had been unhappy, they had maligned her. She had wondered why.

"In the end, they want to get what they've paid for. Not silly dreams." She threw her a sealed envelope "As soon as the AUDIENCE makes its choice, that is as soon as I win, I will become the next Kaleido star and chief executive. This is your resignation, sealed and signed, as well as your leave from the dorms and your ticket to the next flight to Japan." She smiled sweetly "As soon as I win, these documents go into order. So feel free to run back home as soon as you're done trying to copy me."

"You haven't won yet." Sora was almost shouting. "You haven't even gone out."

"Are you counting on Leon Oswald to help you? I can tell you he's impatient to have you fired, girl." Annett hissed

She headed towards the stage, giving Sora one last look of disdain before she entered the arena.

The strawberry-haired girl felt her knees give out as she watched her perform the Angel's act as perfectly as she did. Her partner was strong and skilled, and she seemed to have learned the move excellently.

"What did she say to you?" Leon asked, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Nothing." Sora forced a smile and did her best to look relaxed. The odious envelope was thrown into the depths of her sack and the small girl was desperately trying to forget about it. To think, the insolence that woman had-to look at her in the eye and tell her she's already lost.

Sora watched her perform the Angel's act and wondered: _"Was she right all along? The audience was silent when Layla-san went out, will they be silent now?" _The more she observed her, Sora realized that Kathy had been right-she had the technique, but she couldn't do anything to touch her. The performance lacked heart.

* * *

Nevertheless, the applause was deafening. Annett came back, triumphant and sure of herself, and the lights dimmed, announcing the last performance for tonight-Giselle, with Leon and Sora.

She grabbed onto the trapeze and swung forward, feeling her entire body cold like marble. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't focus on Leon. Tears filled her eyes as she let go to grab onto the other. Why? Why did that woman hate her so? Why did she tell her there horrible things? Leon-san…didn't want her there? He didn't want her to continue.

Sora felt his hands barely touching her as they passed each other and opened her eyes. He looked at her with real desperation and sadness, his gorgeous grey eyes filled with regret. Was this regret just actor's play? Or perhaps he was apologizing for lying to her. Why?

Sora let go, doing a series of turns before landing on a flying trapeze, following the well studied pattern of the Angel's act, running from Leon, dancing around him, jumping violently in the air from time to time, like a bird with a broken wing. A perfect spiral and she took his hands.

_"Is it true?"_ her eyes asked him.

Leon had always loved acting with her, but never before had he seen her so down, so desperate. Knowing perfectly well it wasn't a part of the act, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him so that she could feel every beat of his heart.

_"This is the only truth."_ His gaze told her.

Never in their many practices had they achieved such sadness and tragedy in their performance. Every time he let her go to execute some move he looked as if a part of his heart was being torn away. Every time she came back, she seemed even more reluctant to leave his embrace.

Dancing, floating, flying, Sora was like a feather riding on the zephyr, so perfect and weightless she seemed. Her moves were overflowing with grace and love, her eyes always turned to her partner spoke volumes. Leon held her like a fragile princess and lifted her in the air as gently as possible. When the climaxing moment came, Sora gathered all the strength she had in herself and let go of the trapeze. She span, then straightened her legs and torso, letting her arms flow out as if she was a swallow taking flight. As she began her descend, she stretched her arms forward and caught Leon's, then held him in a deep, sensual embrace, before he lifted her one last time in the air to land on the trapeze.

They finished, him on his knees embracing her through the waist, her with her hands around his neck, resting her head on his. The moment seemed to last forever, filled with gentleness and love, before the lights went back on.

* * *

They landed and ran backstage, where they were greeted by a cheering group of their friends. Sora distinguished some applause from the audience, but in this particular moment she had eyes only for Leon, whose face was so flushed you could say he had run for hours.

Everyone came to see them while the audience was filling some leaflets to decide on who was the best. Even Layla congratulated them, while Yuri patted Leon on the shoulder knowingly. Annett, however, didn't seem to notice the excitement and stayed, leaning on a nearby pillar. Sora came to her.

"I understand it must've been hard for you…" she began inoffensively "But no matter what, you should've just spoken about your problems. I'm sure you and Layla-san would have settled your differences if you were honest with each other."

"Honesty? Is this what you think everyone possesses?" Annett laughed "And how honest is Oswald with you, Sora? Congratulations, you managed to copy me. But you haven't won the war."

The results came out and the three couples came out on the stage to receive their applauds, while Kalos counted the votes. Sora smile and waved, but Leon didn't get his eyes off their director, whose face was growing paler by the second. When he took the microphone, his voice shook and his hands trembled as if he had just gotten a stroke.

"Ladies and gentleman….thank you for attending this special performance for Kaleido Stage…we're very grateful for your cooperation and we hope you enjoyed the show. Tonight, we saw some spectacular performances, brought to you by our brightest stars. However, it is time to announce you choice…and there is no reason to delay it any further. The winner you've chosen…the best of all the Kaleido stars…is Annett Blanche."

Sora's heart stopped. Her body went limp and cold, while her limbs turned into rubber. She noticed by-and-by that Leon and Yuri went to Kalos and started looking at the results, but couldn't hear what they said-she was too weak to listen. Slowly, the world lost all its color and blanked out.

* * *

A/N-I know the act sounds impossible to achieve, but have some mercy on me, after all, I'm not an athlete (sadly).


	9. Misery

**Sorry for the delay. I hope you like this.

* * *

**

Misery

"Well?" Mr Naegino looked at his wife expectantly.

"She sleeps." Midori carefully put Yume in her crib and sighed "We should let her rest, until tomorrow at least. Taking that flight all the way from Cape Mary must've been exhausting. And right after that performance. I couldn't believe it when she called me to pick her up. She was still wearing her hair in her stage style."

"I still don't believe she got kicked out."

"I can't either, but let's not overexcite her. She's gone through a lot."

"I knew this was not a good idea. Letting her go there all alone…she should've gone to a circus here, where we could watch over her."

"But she's here now, that's the important thing."

* * *

No matter what her aunt and uncle said, Sora didn't listen. Maybe, she didn't want to. She lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling and letting the tears fall. Why? Why had the audience chosen Annett?

She didn't stick around to be shown the door. Her suitcases were packed, a small act of mercy, and all she had to do was leave her costume on the bed with a note to her friends not to be worried. The plain left almost as soon as she reached the airport. No time for goodbyes, no time for regret. There was no place for her on Kaleido stage now that Annett was the top star.

The next few days were a blur. Sora unpacked, met with her friends, helped around the house. She focused on doing everything but think about what happened and what was she going to do in the future. She knew well enough that at some point, she had to start working again-she could not rely on her aunt and uncle forever, but for some reason, she couldn't force herself to get up and do something…anything.

Sora tried not to panic. She tried not to think about everything that had happened to her, to her friends, her dreams. The audience had chosen Annett as the better, even though there was no heart in her performance, no soul. Why? After all she went through, why?

It was not right, and yet she couldn't afford to think of this now. She still had to do something with her life. She had to find something to do, before she lost her mind. She pushed the black thoughts in the back of her mind and got up from bed, trying to look cheerful enough.

* * *

The first days were hard. Faking cheerfulness, trying to look fine…she met with her friends, and told them her story, leaving out the worst parts of course. But saying that didn't make it right. It was so hard not to think of Anna, Mia, Rosetta, all her friends. Or Leon…especially Leon. She wasn't the top star anymore. She was just Sora Naegino…common girl.

For some reason, she couldn't get him out of her head. She always thought they were partners, and that they worked well together. But…she had never wanted more. To her, apparently, Leon had appeared just like any partner she'd had-a person who helps you bring out the macig of the stage, the man who lifted her to fly, a cold, arrogant, and occasionally too stubborn person, but only to be gentle and caring on the inside. Until now, she never thought there was another Leon, another man within that frame she had built for him.

She never considered him something more, at least…not on a conscious level. However, she remembered the time when he dragged her on stage, when she and May had been 'fighting' for Romeo's love. To her, everything had been about getting out of the spotlights as soon as possible, but to the audience, it had appeared a battle between rivals. Had it been just like that? Had May ever been in love with Leon? Sora couldn't imagine something like that ever happening, but suddenly Leon's trials to choose between the two of them his partner got a whole new light. May had competed with passion, whereas Sora thought only for the stage and standing up to Layla's standards. Had May won the role of Mina Murray because she…felt something for Leon back then?

Those questions drove Sora crazy. The job she got at a local supermarket gave her distraction for the days, but couldn't chase away the thoughts of him at night. No matter how hard she tried to deny it, she missed him, she truly missed him. Incredible-it took her that long to realize her feelings for him, and now she was probably never going to have the chance to let him know.

* * *

Two weeks after Sora came back from Cape Mary, there was a knock on the door. Sora's aunt went to see who it was, while the young acrobat played with Yume in the living room. She couldn't see the person standing at the door, but when she heard his voice, her heard skipped a beat….or two…or twenty…

"I am sorry for the disturbance. Is this the home of Naegino Sora?"

"Yes, that is so. How can I help you?"

"I am a…co-worker of hers, from Kaleido stage. May I…please talk to her?"

Before the sentence was over, Sora had leaped on her feet and ran to the door. "Leon-san!" she exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at her stage partner.

"Do you know this man, Sora?" her aunt's look was suspicious.

"Um…yes…he was my prince from Swan Lake…My partner…Leon Oswald." Mumbled the strawberry-haired girl, while looking at his face, hardly able to believe he was there.

"Sit down, please…."

"No, I really shouldn't be forcing my presence on you…"

"Please, any friend of Sora is a friend of ours. And we've heard so much about you, right dear?"

"It's rare to meet Sora's colleagues. Please, we insist."

"Here, let me just…" Sora ran about the room, trying to get Yume's toys (and Yume herself) out of the way, avoiding Leon's gaze, dreading the disapproval in it. However, while her aunt served her excellent green tea, and a theme was finally established, the girl couldn't help but notice a slight spark in the Frenchman's eyes.

It seemed surreal-whenever she saw him, Sora couldn't help staring a bit. Even though they worked together almost every waking minute, he still stuck her with that…in-born nobility of his, the way everything about him spoke of superiority and force. She couldn't picture him in her relative's small, Japanese style living room, yet now he was there, thanking his hosts politely, with such conduct as if he was born there.

What struck her most, Sora thought, was this strange, rare beauty in him. Sure, his broad shoulders and muscular frame were purely handsome, but there was something about the way his silver hair fell around him, the decided form of his lips, the striking contrast between the sharp form of his eyes and the gentleness in them…all of this left Sora breathless. And somehow, he seemed terribly aware of that.

From what he told them, Kaleido stage was going downhill ever since the competition. Annett had began drastic changes, using her influence both on the board and the people to get what she wanted. Ticket sales were as high as ever, but every actor who dared speak back to the new star got fired. Apparently, Leon was in that category.

"I suppose it's for the best." He told his hosts calmly "Kaleido stage isn't the same without Sora."

The latter blushed fervently and ran to check on dinner (on which, of course, Leon was invited and he had no way of getting out of it). As she stirred the food and put it in small dishes, Sora couldn't help feeling a bit too hot under the collar. Why, oh why did he have to look so damn hot!

* * *

Leon thought he would pass out from relief when he first saw her. Actually, it took all his pride and self-restraint not to jump and hug her, then and there. When they realized she was missing, her plane had already taken flight. The costume, draped over the old chair, and the crown of flowers thrown on the bed must've been the most heartbreaking things he would ever see. He felt like screaming in frustration, because he knew she must've fled, and for those brief hours of ignorance, while they looked for her, he must've went through the nine circles of Hell, thinking the worst. And then, even though he was assured that she was safe, it was only his pride that stopped him from running to the airport, hiring the first plane there to get him to her, or perform some other violent diplay of emotion.

Truth to be told, it was impossible for him to go and see her, not at least until Annett didn't fire him. She was, as they say, a scorned woman.

But now it wasn't about Annett, it was about Sora, and the wonderful way she was blushing over her bowl of rice. Really, was there anything cuter in this whole world? Right now, Leon felt he'd murder the poor bastard who dared contradict him.

"So, Leon-san…" Sora's aunt began "What are you planning to do, now that you're no longer with Kaleido Stage?"

"I was planning on going back to France…" he began slowly "But I wanted to see Sora first, make sure she's alright. Her departure was very sudden. She got many people worried." Me in that count, he thought wryly as she blushed even harder "Now that she's fine, I guess I should continue my way to France. Perhaps I'll find a stage willing to accept me."

"Why wouldn't they accept you?" Sora spoke suddenly. Now that the shift had changed, she felt less pressed by guilt and more willing to talk "You're an amazing artist, Leon-san. You shouldn't have any trouble getting a job."

Leon was about to answer, but then Yume decided that he was far more fascinating than her toys and started climbing him, grabbing onto his shirt.

"Yume! Leave Leon-san alone! You're going to…" Sora jumped on her feet, but Leon gave her a sign to stay put.

"It's alright." He said, picking her cousin up like she was made of cotton "Although I may have to lie back so she doesn't get hurt."

"You needn't be so official, Leon-san." Mr. Naegino said "Any friend of Sora is a friend of ours. Yume-chan seems to understand that perfectly."

Sora watched in awe as Leon lied back, his silver hair spread on the floor, and stood patiently as Yume managed to climb on his chest and look down on him with big, astonished eyes. Amazing. Gone was the cold perfectionist that bossed her around. Everything about him spoke of patience and care. Yume began to slide off, but his hand shot out and held her in place steadily, but with so much care it almost broke her heart. Of course, he was gentle. He was her partner after all. Too bad he'd never take pains to be gentle with her unless they were on stage, Sora thought sadly.

* * *

A few minutes later, while her aunt was tucking Yume in bed, she decided to pick up the previous subject again. "So…why do you think there'll be any trouble with finding a job, Leon-san?"

The Frenchman stayed silent for a while, his head turned on the side as if he was listening to something. Then he sighed.

"I'm not a man with an easy temper, Sora. You should know…" he said "Even before that…tragedy with Sophie, I was never someone who allows others to boss him around. I made myself a nasty reputation, as The Grim Reaper…but back then, I didn't care. I never imagined that I would have to take a step back. So, the troops in France won't be in a hurry to take me. And, of course, there is that little problem with Annett's threat." He laughed grimly "When I refused to be her partner, she told me that she'd use all her connections to leave me high and dry. She threatened me that even Etoile Circus would want to take me back."

"Refused…" Sora blinked "Leon-san…didn't Annett-san fire you because you were my former partner?"

"Don't blame yourself for that too." Leon said calmly "If Annett wanted to get rid of everyone connected to you in some way, she'd be breaking her own spotlights, because she can't run Kaleido stage on her own. Actually…" he began slowly "The day before the performance, Annett called me out. I…didn't want to tell you because I didn't want to upset you…she wanted me to be her partner, for some reason. But I refused. Then, and one more when she asked me again. I…I couldn't work with another partner. You know better than anyone how I feel about this. Without Sophie, I wasn't likely to find a partner whom I could accept. And now that I've found one, I won't settle for someone as…mediocre as Annett."

Sora blinked owlishly.

"But Leon-san…" she managed "If she uses her influence on the troops, you'll eventually end up back in Kaleido stage. You need to perform…"

"No, I need to work." Leon said "Even if I have to work in a supermarket for a living, it wouldn't be any different than swinging on a trapeze with some selfish girl. It's just a job, Sora. Only you make the stage as special as it is."

She sighed. "That's too bad…Everyone should make the stage beautiful."

Leon rested his hand on her shoulder and made her look up. "Sora, you could go back and ask for a rematch. The day after the performance, a huge crowd gathered in front of Kaleido Stage. Apparently, Annett did something, got the dates mixed up and gathered 'her' audience to vote for her. She cheated. You could always ask for a rematch and…"

Sora smiled sadly, put her hand over his and shook her head slowly. "Leon-san…I see what you're trying to do but…right now I can't find the heart to perform…for anyone."

"I understand." He nodded "Then…when you find it…I hope you'll let me know."

"Why should you go?" Mr. Naegino came in the kitchen, having heard their conversation. Leon and Sora quickly pulled apart, the latter blushing brightly while the former looked slightly confused "If you say that performing with Sora is so great that all the other professions look the same, what does it matter if you work here or in France. Sora-chan's been rather sad lately, it would be great if she had a colleague living nearby. Surely you can stay with us, Leon-san, instead of wasting money on a hotel."

"Money is not an issue here, Naegino-san." Leon said politely "However, I cannot trespass on your hospitality, or bother Sora with my presence. She'll tell you herself, I am not as…"

"Nonsense." Sora's uncle waved a hand "Sora holds the greatest esteem for you. And you needn't worry about trespassing on our hospitality. Actually, my wife has been having some worries lately. She must go back to work, but she's not comfortable with leaving Yume-chan to the care of strangers. If both you and Sora find a part-time job nearby, there would always be someone with her at home and my wife would be assured everything is alright."

Sora opened and closed her mouth, speaking wordlessly. Of course, inside, she was excited that her uncle had made such a proposition, but she just couldn't imagine Leon-san, the cold Leon Oswald who thought the audience existed to praise him, stay in Japan, with her family, and work a part-time job when he wasn't playing babysitter for her baby cousin. Things like this just don't happen.

"I accept." Leon said simply, and while Mr. Naegino was telling him more, he gave Sora one of his rarest smiles.

* * *


	10. Our first Christmas

**

* * *

**

Our first Christmas

Leon opened the door, trying very hard not to make a noise. He knew well enough that Yume would be sound asleep by now, and he didn't want to bother his hosts by waking her up. However, when he entered, he found out that the Naegino family was setting the table for dinner, Sora giving him one of her customary bright smiles, and her aunt and uncle nodding politely at him.

"You needn't have held dinner for me." He said, slightly embarrassed as he set down the paper bag containing the remaining pieces of today's desert. Julian, the man in whose restaurant Leon now worked as a cook, strongly believed that fresh pastry was the key to success and when there were some pieces left of the blueberry pie, he gave them to his employees.

"Nonsense." Sora said brightly, as if she wasn't supposed to get up early in the morning to go to work herself.

Leon sighed inwardly. It didn't matter how much he asked his kind hosts not to worry about him, they would always smile and fan his request off. Especially Sora. Didn't that woman understand that if she worked herself sick, things would only get worse? He could, of course, be more persuasive, but he didn't feel like yelling at her.

After all, in those days between her departure and his own leaving Kaleido stage, he had been worried enough. He kept asking himself if she was alright, if she was lying somewhere feeling sorry for herself, if she had gotten safely home, and not stayed crying on some bench in some foreign airport, lost and alone….Yes, it was safe to say Leon was too thankful that Sora was fine to feel angry with her for staying up until late.

"So, how is the work?" Sora's aunt asked him "Is everything alright?"

"Wonderful. Julian-san is very kind." Leon said "He gave me the Saturday off to go look at some apartments."

"You found something already?" Sora looked up at him, something resembling disappointment in her eyes.

"Yes." He nodded, but his gaze softened somehow "I made a few calls. There is an offer for a place nearby. It would allow me to keep my current job and come over to look after Yume."

"Surely this isn't necessary." Mr. Naegino said "You shouldn't waste your savings on an apartment if you're only going to sleep in it, Leon-san."

"That is so…" he nodded "However, I might stay longer in Japan and in order to do that I must find a place of my own. My working visa is valid for another four years here, so going back to France for now is not necessary. As for my guardians, they wouldn't care about what I do as long as I stay out of their way, so I believe that this is the best solution."

"But you can stay with us." Sora stated "There is no trouble, right?"

"At present. But I can't impose on your guardians' hospitality." Leon contradicted calmly "And you should go back to school in the spring. It would be most inconvenient for you to have a…man living at your house. Rumors may start."

Sora gaped at him-amazing! Even when she tried to talk about him, he went off and turned the subject towards her. He was so ridiculously impossible!

She couldn't care less for what people thought. Having finished school early to begin her career as an acrobat, the whole thing seemed a million miles away. What did it matter? Leon's behavior since he arrived had been impeccable. He worked, he looked after Yume, he was polite to everyone (coldly polite, but still). If rumors started, she wouldn't be the first one to contradict them.

Besides, she liked to have him so close. At cape Mary, she couldn't see him the way she did now. He allowed his softer side to show. Sora loved to watch him play with Yume, help around the house…when she got up early in the morning to go to work, she always gave herself time to watch his sleeping form on the couch. He was beautiful, even when he was snoozing away. She barely resisted the urge to reach out and touch his face, just to make sure he was real, but managed somehow-such frivolities were reserved for the stage, and only for the stage. The stage, to which she was no longer allowed.

* * *

Sora sighed while helping him wash the dishes. Her aunt and uncle had already gone to bed and, come to think of it, she had to do the same. But lately, she didn't have many chances to interact with him (other than those few minutes when she came back from work and he went out, when he handed her Yume and told her that lunch was on the table). It was nice to be close, even if they didn't speak to each other.

"Sora…" Leon called, while putting away the dishes "Do you have plans for Saturday?"

"No." she answered automatically, before giving him a weary look "Why?"

"I'd like you to come with me when I look at the apartment." He said slowly "I'm not…very confident with my Japanese, and I would hate to do something wrong."

"Oh…" of course "Sure, no problem. Just…just tell me when and…I'll come."

* * *

Is this really happening? Sora wondered as the two of them met the owner of the building and followed him to the apartment. It was a nice morning-a warm wind had come from South and had softened the usual crisp of the winter weather. Leon, of course, looked impeccable, and she…well, she had done his best to be presentable.

He had introduced her immediately as a relative, probably to dispel some unsaid assumption that they were lovers, and put the owner at ease. The man, indeed, spoke more freely when he heard the assurance, although Sora was sure Leon's cold demeanor would destroy any assumptions whatsoever without vocalization.

The landowner opened the door and showed them around, then left them to look for themselves. The building was relatively new, and the apartment still had that smell of working materials that usually hits your nose when you pass a construction site; the blank walls, that held no markings of paintings and nails; and that sterile, strange feel to it, as if it begged for someone to come in and give it some life. The man told them he had bought it while it was still being made, but then his boss had transferred him to a firm in China, so he couldn't use it.

Sora like the high ceilings and big windows-they gave it the feeling of space and freedom. It was almost like the stage, when she grabbed onto the trapeze and swung into the open. She could definitely see Leon living in a place like this. She also noticed, not without embarrassment, that she was picturing herself…living there with him. Waking up every morning and…Sora stopped herself there, before she turned redder than her hair.

_I shouldn't have gone there_, she scolded herself, _now I'm going to think of that all day!_

"Sora…" Leon called for her "Could you please come here?"

With a sigh, she quickly stepped to his side and tried to distract herself with the conversation going on. They were discussing the height of the ceilings, as it was. The landowner said they weren't high enough. Leon made a sound resembling a low growl and, instead of arguing, grabbed Sora through the waist and lifted her high above his head. If it hadn't been for the long practices and the many occasions she had been treated that way, Sora might have actually been terrified. Now, on the other hand, the man was close to suspecting something between those two…relatives…but what the Hell! Last time she checked, marriage between cousins was still legal in Japan.

Having won the argument without even making so much as a remark in his defense, Leon turned to the owner and continued the conversation. Sora, on the other hand, had to take a few moments to summon her muscles and remain as still as she usually was during such lifts.

"The apartment will be at your disposal after 30 days…" the man was just saying "And I will contact you when we have to settle the paperwork."

Leon gave Sora a look, and she nodded, confirming that he had gotten it right.

"Very well then." He said calmly "I will be waiting for your call. Thank you for your time."

The man smiled and left them.

"Leon-san…" Sora looked at her former partner "Why did he say 30 days? I thought you could move in immediately?"

"If I was renting, yes. But since I'm buying it, I must wait for the paperwork to be settled."

"Buying? But…" she stammered "Le-Leon-san…what do you mean…buy…"

"What I said. It would be most inconvenient to deal with rents and things when I could just have the place all for myself."

"But…but…" a sharp pain in her stomach muscles reminded her of the position in which she stood. "Leon-san…could you please set me down now?!"

* * *

They walked through the nearby park, as a shortcut to Sora's home. Even though the weather was warm enough, the trees were covered in snow, and the ground was sealed with frost. Several times, the petite girl had to brace herself on her companion, although he felt more annoyed because she immediately let go of him and apologized, other than because she did it in the first place.

While they advanced in a sluggish pace through the uncomfortable path, Leon explained to her that it would be much more convenient for him to buy a home rather than rent one, since he was planning on staying, and it would be much easier to obtain a permanent visa if he had a residence listed on his name. But why in Japan, she asked, slightly baffled-after all, it was no France, the food wasn't the same, the customs were different, and he had no apparent reason to stay. Leon just shrugged and told her that it didn't matter where he was.

"I've gone over homesickness a long time ago." He stated as-a-matter-of-fact "When my parents died, the relatives that took Sophie and me in didn't like us very much. Some old grudge with our father, I don't know. They weren't very happy with the career perspective that opened before us when Alan first wanted to coach us. They thought that circus is for freaks and lowlifes. Not that they weren't happy to dispose of us, but they were afraid of some public scandal linked to their name. So, they signed some documents, giving me the right to deal with our money however I choose, and in return we took our mother's maiden name." Leon sighed "Needless to say I never really thought of any other place as home afterwards."

"I understand, Leon-san…" Sora nodded comprehendingly. "But…why here?"

"Because Annett's influence here isn't the same as in France." He looked at her "If I ever wanted to go back to acrobatics…if you ever wanted…she wouldn't be such a threat."

Sora sighed. "Leon-san, I…I'm not sure I can be the same. Even though Annett-san cheated…I still don't think I can do it. It's…not because of her…or you…or anybody. It's me. I just can't find my heart."

Leon shook his head-of course, this was going to be harder than he imagined. Not only had Annett destroyed Sora's self-confidence, she had made her dead for the stage. It was terrible.

But then again, he wasn't any better, was he. He wasn't trying hard enough. Leon looked down at his feet, started feeling guilty…and then suddenly a large snowball smashed into his head. A second later he heard Sora challenge him and…well, he decided that at least she had some spirit left in her.

The fight was brief, Sora winning with 15:3 hits, but with all the chasing, ducking and falling, she was considerably wetter than Leon when they decided to call it truce and head home. Nevertheless, she was in good spirits, and her cheeks were slightly flushed. She barely registered him taking off his long coat and draping it over her shoulders to keep her from freezing.

* * *

They went home, changed into dryer clothes, and each headed out for his duties for the day. It was Christmas Eve that night, after all. There was much to do. Sora went to help her aunt with the cooking, Leon looked after Yume while helping Mr. Naegino set up the Christmas tree, and later everyone gathered around it, putting on decorations and joking about snow and surfing. The mood was light and Sora almost forgot about everything that had happened today…only to start thinking about it again when her aunt put Yume in bed and Leon told his hosts about his trip.

It wasn't like he could stay with them forever, Sora reasoned as she ran about the apartment, finding different little tasks to occupy herself with. Even if it took a while, they would eventually have to go on their respective ways. Actually, come to think of it, they would have to retire, and since there had never really been something between them, other than their bond as partners, they would have separated, eventually. So wasn't it better that it was happening before her feelings rooted too deep?

There was still some hope, in the corners of her heart. The apartment he had purchased was very big, too large for a sole person, especially if Leon intended only to sleep in it. But…-her thoughts taking an unwanted turn again-…the presumption that he wanted to set up a life there didn't exclude the possibility that he wasn't setting it up with her.

This is preposterous, he's not much older than I am, she thought, fighting the idea.

But he's definitely hot, the idea counter-attacked. He's living on his own, and he's charming, in a grim sort of way. Girls would kill to get his attention.

Sora got out on the balcony and looked at the night city, letting the cold ease off the bright flush on her cheeks. She knew there had been many before her…–partners that is-, who had tried to be Leon's partner and failed, not being able to live up to his standards. After all, none of them were capable of being like Sophie, and even now, Sora doubted that she was a suitable replacement…but she had never imagined that he thought about something other than completing the Angel's Act. Sure, he was a devoted person and had turned out to be a very nice guy, but…what if, maybe, there had been something going on with his partners at that gap of three years between the World festival and his joining Kaleido Stage?

A tap on the shoulder brought her to reality and she whooped around to face Leon.

"Leon-san…" she blinked "What is it?"

"Nothing. I just thought you should come back now. It's cold out here." He said, oblivious to the flush to her cheeks.

"Yeah…I'll be there in a minute…" she mumbled, but Leon made no move to go back "Is there…something the matter?"

"Well…" he mumbled, going through his pockets "I wasn't sure if I should wait until tomorrow…I just got this and thought you might like to see it."

Sora took the small envelope from him and opened it curiously. As she explored the continence, her eyes unexpectedly started to water and she went in the living room, seeking more light to read it. It was a letter, from Sarah, but also signed by the whole crew at Kaleido Stage.

_Dear Sora,_

_Leon called to tell us he found you and that you're alright. I hope that guy's telling the truth, because otherwise, I'd love to show him some karate moves when he comes around. We're doing fine here, relatively fine, and even though it's hard, we're trying to maintain the smiles on our faces. Because that is what you taught us, isn't it? We should always smile and make the audience feel engaged in the spectacle. Please, write soon._

_Sarah_

_Sora-san,_

_Although Mia and myself are trying to fight on, it's hard. We both hope you'll be able to come back to see us, at least. Mia sends you the script of her latest play-it was disapproved, but we think you'll make a good use for it, wherever you're working now._

_Anna and Mia_

_Sora,_

_I know this is all hard for you and all, but Rosetta couldn't take the pen just yet, so I decided to write for both of us. Where are you? Everyone here says we'll manage it, but Kaleido Stage isn't for managing! It's for MAGIC! You better come back here, or else I'm contemplating squashing the nose of that self-proclaimed "star" and get it over with._ (there were a few more lines of that, before May's tone softened a bit)

_We both wish you could be here, Sora. And, in advance, I wish you'd forgive me. The sales are as high as they always were, but the stage isn't the same without you anymore. Take care,_

_Rosetta and May_

_Sora-san,_

_Remember how you told us about your dream of a conflict-free stage? Well, we're giving our best to maintain it that way. A great many people have decided that they don't want to work under Annett, but most have opted to stay and continue…I hope, wherever you are, you're giving the same magic for the people there as you did for us. Whenever you feel ready, come back! The stage will be waiting for you._

_Ken_

She read…and read…and re-read it, until she knew it by heart. Leon watched from the side as a few perfect, pearly tears slid down her pale cheek, and then Sora turned her shining eyes towards him.

"Leon-san…they all want me back?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"I…I don't know what to say…but I feel so…so…" she hid her face in her hands and let out a few quiet sobs. "I don't know if I could make it…I know that things have changed and…Oh, but I can't do it…Whatever happened on the competition…the audience made its choice…I can't fight that."

Her breath hitched when she felt a pair of strong arms wrap themselves around her and Leon, not standing the sight of her crying for another second, drew her into his embrace and nuzzled the top of her head, without saying so much as a word. Without even bothering to look up at him, she snuggled in, and breathed in his scent, while he held her for dear life, without showing any sign that he would let her go. For a while, neither of them said a word.

He smells of orange flowers, she thought, a little surprised. They had embraced on stage, but never for long enough to savor the moment like this-She imagined that holding him would be a little like touching a statue made out of some sort of wood-smooth and perfect, yet now she realized how wrong she had been. Embracing Leon wasn't like embracing any other ordinary man-it was so much more! It wasn't melting, it was more like a very, very slow burn.

When they pulled away, he cupped her chin, and, his expression frozen stiff, said:

"Sora, no matter what you think, Annett doesn't below to the stage. And if you wish for the audience to accept you so much, then come back and let them. Let's go back to the stage you love so much…and let me be your partner again. You know…we both know…and feel that this is the place where we belong most."

"Yes, but…" he rose his hand to silence her.

"We can go back. Annett can't stop you, not if you really wish for it."

"She wouldn't allow another competition." Sora stated.

"It's not up to her. The World Festival is in one month. You can make your comeback there."

Sora gaped. "But…Leon-san…I didn't win last time. May-san did…" she drawled, remembering the atmosphere there, and felt it closing down on her. Then, he squeezed her shoulders again and her head whooped back to face him

"I won as well. And if you may recall, I have a Golden Ticket that would let us in the show automatically."

"But May-san won as well…" Sora frowned. May had given up challenging her once she got the Angel's Act right, but… "Do you think Annett-san will try and enter?"

"I know she will. She told May to give it to her if she wanted to keep performing on Kaleido Stage…or any stage for that matter." Leon sighed "Don't blame May-it was her dream to perform there…and Annett's pulling through a very strict policy about those allowed on the stage. She thought she could make me her partner, but she wanted to make sure you don't have an opportunity to face her again. The judges on the World Festival can't be bought."

Sora looked up at Leon. "But…what will we do? We have less than a month to prepare. What will we…"

Leon looked at her straight in the eye.

"Sora, do you trust me?"

She stared into those swirls of angry violet and nodded:

"Yes."

"Good." He said. "Because I never stopped trusting that you'd return."

* * *

A/N-I'm doing a school project. Can you help? Poll's on my profile page, please take a look at it.

**MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!**


	11. Flying again

**

* * *

**

Flying again

She stared at the schema Leon had drawn for her last night and frowned. Her fingers traced the dark lines lightly, while she was trying to picture herself doing it in her mind. Somehow, everything came out beautifully, but the acrobat in her, the person she developed as during her time on Kaleido stage was worried.

Leon had suggested they do the Legendary Maneuver, as it was the only act that could beat Annett hands down. After they performed it, if everything was fine, they were to descend to the lower trapezes and swing into a final position, with the first part executed in total silence, and the second-on the music of the Pas de deux from Tcaikovski's "Sleeping Beauty". And whereas that looked very beautiful while she imagined it, Sora wasn't very sure if she was up to it.

For one thing, this maneuver had never been executed by partners of the opposite sex. Sora herself had done it only once, with Layla-san, and the memory of that performance was a blur of uncertain emotions and inexhaustible fatigue. They had been fighting for the future of the stage, the time had been limited, and their training, it seemed, proved insufficient. Of course, Leon probably could live up to it, he had both the strength and the skill, but that was not the question at hand. Could she really do this? Could she complete a maneuver of this caliber in such a short notice? Sora quickly went over all the things that could go wrong-their weight and strength was unequal and the length of the trapezes varied for every stage-if even one thing went amiss, they'd both fail. Needless to say that they were staking their lives there-the tragedy with Yuri's father lingered in her heart like a dark cloud.

It seemed that, truly, there was no possible way to execute the legendary maneuver without something bad happening. Last time, they had been lucky to pull it off without anybody dying, but at what cost? Layla's shoulder had been damaged so badly Kate had said that she might never be able to perform on the trapeze again. The fact that the Hamilton heiress had managed somehow to rival Sora for the role of Odette in Swan Lake, and performed her Golden Phoenix to fight Annett, was still considered a pure miracle. Miracles and chance…could it work for Sora and Leon now? Especially since she couldn't see Fool anywhere-was it a sign that she no longer could perform.

Leon seemed to think they could do it, and do it brilliantly for that matter. But the nature of the act also didn't give them a chance for a grand rehearsal-they had to calculate everything by the second and make-do with everything they had, and somehow to muster enough energy to go through the second part. He had already booked a room in a local gym for their disposal, and all she had to do, apparently, was to go along.

Ironically, that was the one thing the True Star never did. She had to make it work. She had to do it. And although Sora wasn't much of an expert, she knew there were tons of things she could do. Right?

She grabbed onto the parallel bars and started doing pull-ups. They couldn't do much, so they had only lain landing-mats on the ground and had to attempt to jump over the whole length of the room. To do that, she had to start building some muscle strength first.

* * *

The hours turned into days, a routine settled, and Sora began feeling some of her old self return. Train, work, train, eat and sleep, sometimes not in the proper order, or any order at all. She could hardly force a smile on her face and talk normally to her guardians, and she often just threw her clothes, soaked with sweat and exhaustion, into the washing machine and collapsed into a breathless slumber.

Leon settled in his new home, though he still came around a lot, walking her home after practice and looking after Yume. Sora often thought she felt his presence linger around her, but then scolded herself when she saw him every day. Her palms slowly covered with calluses and blisters, her stomach muscles screamed with pain almost constantly, but stamina and strength built and she was getting more and more confident about her performance.

Needless to say, her partner stayed close behind, but there was something about Leon that bothered her, something that made her uneasy. What was it? Sure, he was making visible efforts to be nicer and all, but really, how much can one smile with more than 8 hours of practice every day. She almost hoped that he would be grumpy 24/7-that would always set her at ease. But, whereas he didn't smile, he wasn't his usual disapproving self, and lately, she had caught him staring at her with something very…raw. It made her feel like a rabbit standing in front of a wolf.

What was wrong? After the first few days students from other classes often came to watch them, and the majority of them were girls. Older, beautiful, well-endowed girls. What could she have that would attract his attention?

* * *

Leon, on his part, was feeling more and more concerned. The application was filed and accepted, the plane tickets-bought, reservations were made, and everything was going smoothly. They put the act together, and their chances of winning were high. But, he too worried about Sora. One wrong step, and they'd both fly to their death. He cared little about that, but Sora…if he let something happen to her, he'd never forgive himself.

But what could be done? If they didn't do it, she would fret and fade away, slowly and painfully. If they did it, there was a remote chance that she could have her life back, her passion for the stage and be happy.

And there was another thing that prevented him from giving his best-the fact that Sora was growing onto him more and more with each passing day. Of course he loved her-there was no way he couldn't love her, but the reactions of his body were quite frankly terrifying him.

His nickname, "The Grim reaper", wasn't just a description of the physical injuries he inflicted on his partners. People who got close to him got burned because he wouldn't let them in, and the female wreckage he had left was considerable. The reason why he didn't want to get too close with Sora was that he didn't want to break her as well. Could he really be close to another human being without hurting them?

Yet he was attracted to her. Physically, mentally, sensually, whatever the word was. He was bound to her. And if he wasn't careful, he was going to end up hurting her anyway.

The day of their departure was drawing near, and Leon was getting worried over Sora. She was still giving her best, but damn it, she wasn't getting any rest. He often called and asked her guardians to make sure she got to bed early, but she was getting more and more sloppy, and instead of building energy, her body got weaker.

How were they supposed to win with only a few successful tries under their belt?

* * *

The day before their leaving for Paris, Leon was early in the gym. Sora wasn't supposed to come in another thirty minutes, so he used the time to warm up and think about any possible ways to help her if they messed up in the grand moment. He repeated to himself again and again that there was no room for mistakes, but in Sora's condition, forfeiting was no longer in the list of impossible options.

As he stretched back, he noticed the faces peering at him over the open door. He frowned, but they obviously thought it was an invitation, because they ventured in. Girls like that were everywhere-he'd long learned to ignore them. Their attentions, at first flattering, were now annoying, and, sexist he may be, but the way they clung on straws was sickening. Really, one smile and they already plan how to name your children!

"What do you want?" bluntness, combined with a cold look was the best way to deal with creatures like this, he figured.

"We heard that you were leaving tomorrow…." One of them began

"…so we decided to say goodbye and wish you luck." The other finished, giggling.

The method worked, unless of course the girls were remarkably stupid.

"Oh. Thanks. Good luck to you too." He attempted to continue his exercise, waiting for them to take their leave. Unfortunately, they just perched on either side of him and smiled.

"The coach said you were going on the World festival. That must be very stressing."

"You really need somebody to relieve that tension, right?"

With a sigh, he rose in his full height and looked at them severely. Same build, same large blue eyes, tanned skin, blond curly hair…definitely not twins, but attempting to look exotic and attractive. Yup, he concluded, definitely stupid.

"Say, you're not shy, are you?" they grinned and stepped closer. He stepped back. Thank God he wasn't against the wall. His brain ran erratically over the possible outcomes of this thing-a few years back, he wouldn't have hesitated for a minute to take up their offer, but now tings were different. If Sora walked on them…

The look on her face (even imaginary), was enough for him to make up his mind.

"Sorry, girls. My partner is to come very soon. We are attempting a very dangerous move on the festival, so I don't have time to have fun. Thanks for the offer."

"Oh, come on!" one of them came closer "How can you stand her? She looks so insipid and frigid. She's probably not half the woman you need."

"I won't discuss how I like my women." He said calmly, but his hands were shaking with desire to punch something.

"I bet she doesn't even know what to do in bed." The other intervened and put her hand on the side of his hip "Come on! We'll show you just how good things can be."

"Yeah. She's too little to know what you need anyway!"

"And she probably wouldn't be able to do it either!"

Snap! Suddenly, Leon's hand clasped around the wrist of the girl touching him, and then he twisted her arm in an unnatural angle. The girl whimpered with pain, and startled tears appeared on the corners of her eyes.

"First of…" Leon didn't change the tone of his voice, or bent down so that she could hear him more clearly, but the deadly intent was clear. "…what I do with my partner has nothing to do with you, therefore, I owe you no explanation. And whatever Sora can or can't do, you girls can't step on her little finger."

He let go of her. "Now get lost, before I change my mind about letting you off easy!"

They ran. As he watched them leave, his eyes met Sora's. Leon froze.

* * *

She had ran as fast as she could to meet him, but she hadn't expected to find him in the company of anyone. Her body had stiffened with surprise when she saw the two girls, and then went through a dramatic set of changes in mere seconds. First, it was stupefaction. Then, she felt ill upon hearing their words. When she saw Leon reject them for the first time, pride overwhelmed her. When they refused to listen, she trembled with rage. In the end, she forgot to breathe when Leon snapped and twisted that girl's hand. She never expected him to lose it.

They ran past her, and he saw her. Sora gulped. It was too late to run…so she had better confront him. Summoning her bravery and hoping that she wouldn't break down, she said:

"Leon-san…what was this all about?"

He was about to say "nothing", but then shook his head. It was too late to play a role now.

"They tried to seduce me. I refused."

Sora blanched, but looked at him bravely and asked the question that was bothering her from the beginning: "Why'd you do that?" as they said, he was stressed. If he needed to relieve the stress, they could give him way more than she could. Thin brows winged up as he gave her a look of gentle disbelief.

"How can you honestly ask such a question?"

"Well, I think it's pretty obvious…" she began, but he cut her off

"Do you even know what you're talking about?"

Her cheeks turned red, but she answered: "Of course I do!" She wasn't that ignorant, and she'd read a lot about…that kind of stuff over the past few weeks. The books didn't answer half her questions, but a browse through the different story sites on the net (the only safe thing to do at home without being suspected of something naughty), gave her a pretty good idea of how it worked.

Leon shook his head "Then you must realize that you don't do that kind of thing with just anyone. It's not good, for you or for them."

"But…" she opened her mouth and immediately regretted it. He gave her his best death glare, before stating coldly:

"You thought that men were always eager for a conquest? That I would forget our goal over a…quick roll in the hay? I already lost one partner to the stage, I am not going to lose another!"

His anger made her beat a hasty retreat: "That….that wasn't what I meant…I thought that if you were nervous…and they both looked really good…honestly, it's not like I'm judging you or something…everybody's got their needs…I mean, I drink a lot of coke when I get nervous and…er…"

He shook his head, grabbed her by the elbow and led her to sit on a mound of landing mats on the other end of the room. After she popped on one of them, he paced about the room slowly and then stated evenly:

"I admit, you have a good reason to think the way you think. Most men really don't think with the right body parts, and I can't really say that I've been a saint. Yes, there was a time when I took advantage of women…both my partners and…girls like this. I'm sorry to tell you something like this, but I think you should know the truth. If you don't wish to listen, I won't stop you from leaving."

Shaking her head, Sora urged him to go on. He took a few breaths to calm himself, and, when he made sure he could speak without showing great emotion, began:

"Everybody gets confused. For me, when Sophie died, I was like a boat without its anchor. I drifted, and allowed the emotions to cloud my better judgment. Finding a willing woman wasn't hard, and falling into their nets is also easy-they flatter you, they admire you, and soon you start to feel like you're on drugs. The power you have over them is so amazing that you can't help yourself, you want more and more of it. You feel like you're on top of the world, and every time, you have to get further and further to experience the same emotion. Before I knew it, I was getting bold."

"Then…one day, all of the sudden…." the continued "I remembered my promise to Sophie, and tried to tell myself that I could still do it. However, one look around told me that it was impossible. I was surrounded by women, clinging, whining women that only wanted my money. None of them would be the true star, and so I fled…and turned into the Grim Reaper you first met."

"I suppose…" Leon gave a bitter smile "That you thought it was only guilt that made me the way I am. The truth is, guilt had nothing to do with it. Oh, it was easy blaming the accident on Layla and Killian, and for a while, I did so, but in truth, I was revolted. Of the women I've had, of myself…I hated everything about me! I felt like dying. Until you came along. You, who always smiled and never gave up. The first thing I saw was your courage to stand up to me, then I came to appreciate your stubbornness…I was angry when you decided to leave Kaleido Stage, and I was happy when you returned. I never agreed with your decision not to cause conflict on stage again, but somehow, I knew that you would return."

He smiled. He actually smiled. Sora felt butterflies flutter in her stomach as he walked over to her with two big strides and knelt next to her so that their eyes would be on the same level.

"Sora, no matter what you think, I'm not the same anymore. Even if I hadn't known you, I've lived long enough to know better and I wouldn't go as far as to scar those girls so deeply. But the moment I saw you, I was wasted on anybody else. Had I not been too concerned about the people in Cape Mary, I'd have jumped on the first plane and come to you directly…but I knew that you'd want to know that everybody's holding on, and that I have to be there to assure you of it later."

"So…you want to tell me that…you want me?" Sora blinked owlishly.

"Of course!" he exclaimed "Gods, how could you even doubt that!"

"Well…I'm not very pretty…or smart…or know things about the world…you always say I'm naïve and inexperienced…so I thought that there's no way for you to like me…"

"Sora…little thing…" he laughed, stroking her cheek gently "There's no way in the world that a person wouldn't like you. But I don't like you. I love you. And I want you to be happy."

She closed her eyes, and then opened them again. The happiness washed over her-he was still there, she wasn't dreaming, and…and…her breathing became erratic when she noticed that beautiful face so close to hers, so erratic that she was afraid of a seizure.

Leon smiled, then moved closer and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Sora wrapped her arms around him and drew him in, inhaling his scent, holding onto him for dear life…His hands rested on her small frame gently, as if she was made out of glass, but he held her tightly to him, like a dream that he didn't want to escape.

* * *

A/N-**_This chapter is dedicated to Roya blueKitsune with the hopes of a future update on the story Shattered Reminiscence_**. Sorry if it was written clumsily, I've got school in the morning and I wanted to put it on before I forgot.


	12. Blinding lights

**Fluff warning...ah, who cares...

* * *

**

Blinding lights

Sora spent most of the flight sleeping, tugged between the window and Leon. Strangely, this time the slight disturbances and people talking didn't bother her, and she dreamt soundly wrapped in a blanket. Her partner, on the other hand, didn't even close his eyes, but seemed unusually pleased to have her use him as a travel pillow.

It was an eventful voyage. The flight attendants, who usually hung all over Leon, still came over to his seat more than usual, but all it took was to see his arm draped over Sora's shoulders to chase them away. Some looked devastated, others seemed just indignant that he preferred the company of a snoozing girl that didn't have anything appealing about her.

She barely registered their passing through the borders or their taxi ride from the Airport d'Orly-the monstrous training had taken its tool from her, leaving her completely drained and craving for rest. It puzzled him, since he'd seen her endure much more tenacious exercises, but after such a long time trying to become the True Star just to have everything taken away from her on a decided vote…it was energy draining. If there was anything good to come from her current state of fatigue, it was that Leon became more conscious of her pain, and realize how much she trusted him-she'd never let anyone but Fol to see her like this.

Now, when there was less than a week to the Circus festival, the time was supposed to be crucial…but he couldn't care less.

* * *

Sora woke up, feeling strangely relaxed and warm, after nearly twenty four hours of sound sleep. Yes, life was much better now, she thought as she purred quietly like a cat. It wasn't until she had her body almost diagonally in full stretch that it occurred to her that she was in a bed, and not some uncomfortable airplane seat.

Her eyes shot open and she bolted upright, realization finally dawning on her as her eyes scanned the room wildly. The sun had barely risen over the rooftops, shining a window of pale light on the dark, wooden floor of the room. She immediately realized that she was in an _auberge_, one of those little hostels made for students in the Latin neighborhood. Getting out of bed, Sora slowly walked around, trying to get familiar with her surroundings.

The room was frugally furnished, modest. Other than the bed and a massive wardrobe, there was only a table with two chairs to fill up the space, all made of dark wood. One door led to a narrow hallway, another-to a small bathroom. The window opened to a bunch of serpent-like streets and old buildings. Other than a small piece of the Eiffel Tower in the distance, there was hardly anything that could indicate that they were in Paris…

She gave the room one more look before cracking the window up ever so slightly to let in some of the crisp morning air. It was strange that she found herself in this city for the second time now, because the feelings she had were radically different. The first time she had come to beat May and prove to Layla-san her worth. Now she came to realize her own dream…once again.

Now, the feeling of anticipation was mixed with sadness, not fierceness. Her life, ever since she first showed up in Cape Mary to audition for Kaleido Stage, had been all about proving her worth. First to Layla-san, then to Yuri-san, then to Leon, May, the whole world, even to herself. If she failed now, she knew she'd get back once again…but if she won, what are the chances that someone like Annett Blanche wouldn't come around again, bribe people, kick her out of her stage…Sometimes, it was just so depressing.

The weather outside seemed to agree with her-the windows were covered with frost flowers and there was a thin layer of snow on the ground. Sora sighed and looked around again-she needed action, a training session perhaps…but she couldn't leave the room until she saw Leon-san, and asked him what their plan was. Her memories of the city were vague, and her French dictionary was minimal to non-existent. She relied totally on him for guidance around here, and she wasn't even sure if she'd have to coax him out of bed.

Come to think about it, she thought as she looked around again, she really didn't know anything. Since he was the one who spoke the language of this country, she'd left all travel arrangements to him, hoping that he wouldn't take it all upon himself and let her pay her share of the travel expenses. As a result, she had no idea where their hostel was, or if he had a room for himself, for that matter. Sora eyed the bed, equal parts of mortification and suspicion showing on her face. She'd told him that she'd never let him pay for her, which of course meant that he had to make things as economical as possible…but if they do shared a room...the bed looked like only she'd slept in it, but…

Slowly, as if fearing the floor would open up and swallow her, Sora looked behind the bed to find both their suitcases set against the wall. Gulping slowly, she sank on the comfortable mattress and pulled the blanket over her chilled legs, and she waited for the feeling to sink in.

Surprisingly, it wasn't half bad. They weren't what anyone would call "an official couple", but he had stated his feelings very openly and…she felt the same. Sora felt a smile caress her face as she remembered how, at some point in the past, she'd regretted not having enough time to be with him. At that point the door opened and he showed himself in-platinum hair slightly disheveled and face flush from the cold, and she wondered how on Earth could she be in Paris, the city of love, the city of lights, with LEON, and actually feel sad.

"Good morning." He smiled before he closed the widows to the cold.

* * *

To say that their time before the tournament had been strange was an understatement. Training was limited to a couple of hours in the early morning, when they did nothing but stretching and some lifts. The rest of the day was spent in walks and if she had to be honest about it, that had been the best time of her life.

They explored the streets and regions around the location of the actual event, Sora memorizing streets and routes in case somebody made a false call. Since they didn't want to draw unnecessary attention, they left "must-visit" places for the time after the competition. Instead, he showed her the less obvious sites of Paris-they took long walks along Seine, watched artists paint Notre-Dame, went past the Sorbonne before he guided her through the labyrinth of backstreets for a steaming cup of hot chocolate in some small café.

The only exception they made from their hide-away tour was probably the Louver, where he spent more time teaching her important phrases she could use in case she got lost, no matter how many times she told him that she was hopeless.

Sora was absolutely at loss. Leon, strict Leon who always put training first suddenly became so carefree that it was almost frightening. He never spoke of the festival, or tried to improve anything in their routine when they did practice. His reasons for that sudden change of pace were never clear, and she knew better than to ask him about them.

As it was, she couldn't even begin to process what was happening, let alone go along with it. His behavior puzzled her despite the fact that he obviously meant well. Was it because he was scared that they might go wrong and wanted her to enjoy the time they had before going out there to attempt a seemingly impossible act? Or perhaps he felt that he had to do it? Sora definitely didn't want him to feel obliged to do it.

She'd heard some of the ballerinas talk of relationships, referring to the first days as the "honeymoon period", but other than regret for not listening more carefully, the knowledge only confused her further. It was a time when she realized that life in books was radically exaggerated from the real thing, for the few novels she'd borrowed from Mia and Anna didn't say anything about the situation she had in hand. Their silences weren't "meaningful", but awkward, their touches weren't "burning", but clumsy, and the gaps between their nonexistent conversations were most definitely not "sizzling with unsaid passion".

Actually, Sora was getting the feeling that love was something that entertained comprehending glances and quiet euphoria. It wasn't like Leon was an ice prince, but they both seemed unused to this…

When she caught herself thinking about this –once again- the night before the Festival, she kicked herself for being so selfish. As if life hadn't been hard enough on him, now she expected him to lose all his reserve and act like the perfect knight on a while horse? Of the two of them, he had grown alone, shunned, in the cold, especially after…

Shaking her head, Sora decided not to push things too far too quickly. For all that she knew, tomorrow she would see the sunrise for the last time, but she trusted Leon. When he told her he wouldn't let anything happen to her, she believed him. It was…excruciating, both the suspense and the silence, but if…if they could just win…they could have a lifetime ahead of them to be together. He would come out of his shell, and finally be the gentle person she'd seen peek through his icy façade. That alone was a reason for her to win tomorrow…or at least keep them alive.

* * *

The door to the bathroom opened and Leon stepped out, his long hair still slightly damp from the shower. "It's free now, you can use it." He said absent-mindedly, eyes skimming through the view outside their window as if searching for something. A ghost of a memory, maybe? Perhaps he had stayed in this hostel before with Sophie…Sora wondered over this for a few seconds before she realized he was only wearing a pair of sweat pants and she was practically gawking…

Mercifully, Leon didn't seem to notice as she sat down on a chair, his eyes and mind still somewhere else. This was the time to make a run for it and hide in the bathroom, but she'd really gotten sick of the hiding. They hadn't hired a spare room, but he always went to sleep after she had, and woke up before she did. It was a little like Psyche in the palace of Eros, without the…married people stuff.

Oh, God, why did she have to think about it? Now she wouldn't be able to get it out of her head. Too busy chastising herself, Sora omitted to notice Leon's gaze on her, until it had become so intense she couldn't miss it. She looked up sheepishly to meet the stormy violet of his eyes and barely stopped herself from swallowing hard.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked, keeping her voice in check with some difficulty

She looked amazing…although he wasn't sure if that should classify as wrong. His lips barely quirked upwards. "I told you, the shower's free."

"Oh…Actually, I washed my hair yesterday, I don't think it's necessary." She was itching to say that she didn't care if her hair looked bad if she crashed on the ground tomorrow, but knew better than to do that to him. Absent mindedly, Sora wondered if the entire time before the Festival would be filled with quiet pauses like these, when they'd ask stupid questions like: "Is this going to be the last time I will do this?" Sure it sounded very dramatic and touching, but she was pretty sure it'd get annoying after a few hours.

Gods, but what if it was? What if this was probably the last night she'd be able to be alone with Leon, truly alone, the last time they could ever talk…Sora hadn't even considered this yet, but when she had ever been _alone_ with a guy? The knowledge made her flush, but…

But…

"Leon-san…" she soldiered on "Are you…thinking about tomorrow?"

"Yes." He nodded, sighing "You shouldn't really be bothered, since you're already used to it, and yet…"

"Yet it's scary…" Sora wondered if she could actually finish that sentence "…However, it's not the idea of pain…" yes, she could "But…the prospect of actually losing you."

She blushed a deeper shade of red and tugged her legs up so that she could hide her face behind them. Why was she so embarrassed? He had already told her he loved her…

The few minutes she spent hiding were agonizing. Then, she felt the mattress shift underneath her as he sat down next to her. One of his hands rubbed her back in a comforting manner, while he used the other to undo her vice-like grip on her knees and uncurl her. He had, obviously, mistaken her discomfort for crying, but he still hugged her.

"I'm sorry. I meant to talk to you earlier, to make you at ease, but…I couldn't." Leon mumbled while nuzzling the top of her head. Sora's fear didn't evaporate, but she gladly leaned onto him. "I felt horrible…always pushing you to the limit, always trying to make you something you already are. Perfect." He sighed "I wanted to make amends to you, and I probably ended up looking like I was doing it out of pity."

Sora blinked owlishly, feeling a little apprehensive. She really hadn't thought about that, but Leon wasn't anything but frank-he was either too nice or too mean. "Not really. I thought that you had acted cold for too long and it was hard for you to open up again."

"Perceptive as ever…" he complimented her

"Not really…" she grinned up at him

"Yet you were." Leon nodded as he lifted her up to adjust and have her sitting on one of his legs so that they wouldn't have any trouble hugging. Sora flushed slightly, but didn't object.

"Leon…" she said, all seriousness "Tell me the truth…what do you think will happen tomorrow."

He was quiet.

"Please…" she begged him "Please, I need to know. Tell me, what do you really think."

"I think…" reluctantly, he began, his grip on her tightening "I think that our chances of failure aren't bigger than our chances of success. You've done this before, and as you recall, I can ad lib to almost anything. I'm not saying we should rely on that, but…it is an advantage. Also…I know that it may be wrong to think like this but…whatever we do, Annett will never win. I know it. Sooner or later, Kalos, the board of directors, everyone will try to get you back."

"I know that…" she nodded "But….that's not my goal, Leon-san. I don't want revenge. Also…" Sora snuggled close, letting her head drop on his shoulder. A slight stiffening, and he eased again against her "I don't want to go back without you."

"Then we WILL go back together." He said calmly, before cupping her chin and lifting her head up. "Sora…"

Her eyelids fluttered closed, before she leaned in. A second later, he kissed her, lighting something akin to fire into both of them, and by the way she responded, there was no extinguishing it anytime soon.

* * *

A/N-Review...don't make me make threats.


	13. The Beauty and the Beast

**The Beauty and the Beast**

The morning of the Festival came colder than usual. Sora frowned against the steely winter light and instinctively curled closer to the warm body next to her. Leon responded by arranging himself better in the bed to make enough room for her.

A smile emerged on her face as she cracked one eye open to look at him. Of all the slacking off they did in this last week, sleeping in was probably the best of them all. She wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent and waiting for the fatigue to draw her back into dreamland…But no sleep came.

She fought against the dawning consciousness, but it soon became clear that the battle had been lost from the beginning. Groaning, Sora rolled on her back and stared at the plain white of the ceiling, waiting for the feelings to hit her.

Every morning since she had lost to Annett, it got harder. In the beginning, it was despair and anguish. Then they were joined by frustration at her own immaturity, and somewhere along the way sadness, worry and dread added themselves to the mix. The last few days, there were bits of anticipation and excitement, but the negative emotions outweighed them too easily. There had been times when she didn't want to get up. There had been times when she tried not to sleep because she feared waking up. And there had been times when she just gave in.

Today, however, nothing came. Today, of all days, instead of feeling like tearing her hair off and crying her eyes out, she was…light. Empty. Refreshingly…weightless. Sora frowned momentarily-was this normal? Maybe she was so nervous about her performance tonight that she had lost all sensitivity. Before she attempted the Angel's Act with Yuri, she had been literally out of her mind. And what Mute and Alice had done hadn't helped either.

No. It was different this time. They hadn't tricked anyone. They had come all this way on their own powers. They hadn't even attempted to do their act through all the way. They couldn't be sure if it was perfect, they didn't even know if they could do it.

Leon's hands shot out haphazardly and after a small struggle brought her flush against his chest again. Sora tried to suppress a giggle-she couldn't imagine him being such a sound sleeper, especially on a day like this.

It really was comic-they were like polar opposites, no matter how you looked at them. He was severe, she was cheerful. He was an individualist, she cared more about the audience. He was the epitome of perfect, while she was a clumsy ducking everywhere but on the stare. Even their bodies were different, she thought as she hooked her arms around his neck weakly. He was raw power and pure energy-he could crush her without even breaking a sweat. He almost had, once…

But now it was different. He wasn't a heartless beast that destroyed partner after a partner, and he wasn't the distant god that tortured her to see if she was worthy to have him at her side on the stage. He was a man, a flesh and blood creature that felt like any other. Somehow, she never loved him more.

* * *

The day passed in a frenzy, as they actually trained for their act after the Legendary Maneuver in one of the gyms near the theatre. Leon had definitely taken a note from the previous night and he made sure Sora was focused on her movements every second, lest she should think about what was about to come. However, eventually they had to stop, and prepare for the show.

Then, there was no escaping the wondering silence and unspoken questions. Conversation was minimal to non-existent as they waited for their costumes to arrive, and even then their attempts weren't very optimistic. Sora silently turned towards the girl's dressing room with the box where her suit was supposed to be, but an angry gasp from Leon made her turn around.

"What is this?" he asked the man who had brought it to him. Sora, not wanting any scandals right now, approached her partner with the full intention of asking him to calm down, but as soon as she caught sight of what he was holding, the words froze into her throat.

They had ordered them from the same place they usually did. They had used the same courier. They had even gone to try them on and make sure that they fit right. Two sets of body suits, one large, one small, in a plain dark blue color. What Leon held now was something that looked like a ragged cloth, at best. A closer study revealed it to be a beggar's costume, but it was so sloppily sewn that she daren't think of what would happen when he tried to execute some maneuver in it.

"I don't know." The man explained "That's what they gave me. They said that those were the costumes you guys wanted."

"I know what we ordered." Leon said, his voice dangerously low

"The people told me that it was the order you guys posed. They said something about not being able to do their best when their clients change their orders in such a short notice."

Changed their order? They hadn't changed their order. Sora was about to say that when Leon held up a hand and sent the man on his way. Her partner's expression became grim, as he let out a sharp breath. Then he turned around and told her to get dressed and meet him in front of the operator's booth as soon as possible.

The tone of his voice told her that she'd better not ask questions. For a few brief minutes, he was the old Leon, the one who nobody dared speak back, the Grim Reaper, the man who cared for anyone but himself. As the pressure had gone up, so had his shields, and Sora wished more than anything that he would be able to keep his cool for the three hours they had until the Festival started.

* * *

The knot in her stomach loosened slightly as she got her costume out and looked at it carefully. It appeared to be a gipsy dress, composed by a bodice and a flowing skirt. It wasn't as bad as she expected-they could pass as Esmeralda and Quasimodo from Notre-Dame de Paris, although she couldn't imagine Leon playing a hunchback for anything in the world. She quickly put it on and pulled her hair back in a tight pony tail on the back of her head.

It didn't take a genius to figure out who had called and changed their order. Annett had probably figured out that Leon would go to her and persuade her to try out to regain the stage, and it was very likely that she knew her trick had been discovered. She had enough reasons to stop them, and by the feel of her new costume, Sora thought she figured out how. The skirt was too long, the bodice was too tight-it restricted movement, and while it was easy on the eyes, it wouldn't do her any good if she tried anything complicated in it.

She chewed on her bottom lip as she sought a solution. It would be stupid to try and look for a new suit now, and she couldn't do anything about it. Briefly, she wondered what Leon was doing, and decided that he was either informing the judges about their decision, or thinking how to turn this into their advantage.

Sora eyed her reflection in the mirror briefly, then, taking a sudden decision, took out her sewing kit from her bag and sat down to work.

* * *

Leon didn't recognize her at first.

He'd called the shop and asked what had their order been changed to, then quickly made arrangement with the operating crew to put new music for their act. He'd fixed his costume and put on some ashy make-up in order to look less…proper. He guessed that Sora had been doing the same, but he never imagined that she'd do such changes.

She'd cut off the better part of the skirt, leaving her calves and knees bare, and had wrapped the remaining cloth around her waist like a second petticoat. However, in was clear that she hadn't been able to do much about the upper half of the costume-the top was tight and skin-fitting, revealing a little more than he wanted other people to see, but she was wearing her jacket and it wasn't that bad.

He'd changed too, she noted, even for such a brief time. His hair was tied back, held mercilessly in place by the rubber bands, he had put something like ashes on his face and hands to look ragged, and he was practicing sloping down as if he was a cripple…

"What happened?" she asked him.

"I talked to the operators. The first part will be without music, and the second will be a little different…" he sighed "We might have to ad lib throughout the whole thing, but there isn't anything we could do. Getting new costumes at this moment is impossible, and if we go out we might risk this being taken as a forfeit."

Summoning all the courage she could, she looked at him and said: "Yes, I understand."

"You've probably guessed who made that call, haven't you?" Leon's gaze burned her, but she didn't avert her eyes. However, an answer was not required.

"Let's not talk about it." she said, forcing a smile on her face, and took his hand. "Come."

* * *

Sora hung her feet from the edge and, with Leon by her side, watched the theatre slowly come to life. Lights were lit, music was turned on and off, people ran about fixing things, actors screamed at each other. It was chaos…but thankfully, it was beyond their reach. Nobody would use the highest trapezes other than them, so they could stay on Sora's platform until their cue came.

One of her hands absent mindedly toyed with his ponytail and small fingers laced with the long silvery strands. Leon stared at her for a few moments in disbelief, before relaxing and leaning on her. "Are you ok?" Sora whispered quietly.

"Yeah…" he replied "I just can't believe we're here."

Such simple words, and yet so powerful. His voice sounded hoarser than before, and into that huge mix of emotions and thoughts, sadness was probably the most distinguishing. It had been so long since he'd lost a beloved person to this stage, yet even she felt the pain as distinctly as if it had been yesterday.

If she could only cry as easily…tears brought people headaches and frustration, but afterwards there was always this strange serenity of mind, when everything was clear. Sometimes you found the answers to your questions, sometimes it made it easier to forget the pain, and sometimes you could just restart. But Sora wasn't a person that cried as easily. She was supposed to be the True Star, the one who inspired people, the rock they leaned on when the current dragged them in too deep.

If she could only cry as easily…She closed her eyes for a few minutes and took a deep breath.

"Leon…have you ever gotten the feeling that there's something unfinished in your life?" she asked.

"You mean, have I ever wished that I could undo the past?"

"No." silver brows winged up in an unspoken question "Just…that you have an errand to run, and that you must fulfill it?"

Leon turned his head towards the darkening sky above their heads, contemplating them in silence as he put his answer together. If she asked him whether he would change the past if he could, he would've probably replied negatively. It was a strange notion, but it was the truth. Without Sora, his life would've been as worthless as the partners he had destroyed. He had been saving Sophie every night for three years, and it had taken scaring Sora witless before he realized that he couldn't live in a world of "what ifs".

But…having something unfinished…after the first performance of Swan Lake, he had stopped thinking about promises to be fulfilled.

"I just…" Sora whispered "I just wondered if you ever had regrets about not doing something in your life."

"Don't dwell on this." He ordered softly "If you pull the devil by the tail too much, he'll come and then you'll be sorry."

"I will, wouldn't I? And yet…I can't help it."

"Sora…" he titled her head up so that she could look at him "Listen, don't think about this. Even if…even if I don't go back to cape Mary with you, you must promise me that you won't go back to this day. For three years, I went back to that day, when I tried to complete the Angel's Act, and…dreamt that I had saved her. If I had run faster, or tried harder, if I made her stronger…If I warned her about the people that might try and hurt her…I always thought that I could've done something than stand aside and watch. And when I realized it was too late for that, it only made me angry. And people got hurt."

Silence settled between them as the meaning of his words slowly sank into Sora's mind. Was there really no difference? Whether you did something wrong or you just didn't do anything, in the end you are still burdened with the past. Leon-san…whenever she though of him from back then, she got chills. So cold, so unfeeling, so…hurt. If she went into such a stage, the spirit of the stage would be lost forever. The thought was devastating, especially when she recalled his behavior-a little like a marble statue, absolutely perfect and horribly untouched by other people's pain. When he had tested May's ability to ad lib…Sora didn't want to imagine herself crushing people like that.

Thank God the Chinese woman was stronger than she appeared, otherwise she would've been just like his old partner-spiteful, vengeful and closed to the stage. Almost like Annett…But to do something like that...just because you failed in the past…Everyone was different in their own way, and shun with their own light. Crumpling people because they couldn't be someone else…it wasn't fair. And yet Sora knew that she would do just that, if Leon…

Her arms shout out and wrapped around him so tightly that for a second, it surprised both of them.

"Leon…" she rasped "Leon, I…I can't…"

"Your stage wants you." He said simply, gently cupping her chin with one hand and unfastening her stranglehold on him with the other. "Being out there, bringing smiles on people's face, is what you love to do…You can't let the fear defeat you."

"But if you go…if you go…Leon…I won't be able to fight on."

"Then I won't go." He said "If you tell me that you won't disappear if…Just promise that you'll be there, no matter what. And I'll do the same."

"I promise." She smiled "Let's make it a great show, Leon-san."

"Let's."

* * *

The festival was slowly progressing, and Leon got up to go to his platform. Sora shot him a reassuring smile just before he left her sight, and for a split second, she saw something strange into those violet eyes of his. She didn't have much time to think about it, through, when she saw a familiar, white-clad figure come forward.

Annett looked…well, expensive. It wasn't much of a surprise, since Sora had never seen her settle for anything but the very best. She was supposed to perform the Angel's Act, but her costume looked suspiciously familiar. It was more like the one Layla had worn when she performed the legendary maneuver with her. Was this supposed to provoke her?

The starlet stared, dumbstruck at her former adversary, as if she didn't expect to see her there.

"I thought Leon was supposed to be on this side." She said flatly, arms crossing in front of her chest. "So, you've actually got the nerve to come and face me again? That's very rude of you Sora, since you ran away the first time."

"I want to put on a real stage. That's all." The girl answered simply.

"And you're putting Leon's life in danger." Annett snorted "I didn't know you have it in you. How long did you beg him to be your partner?"

The anger boiled. And for a person like Sora who just didn't get angry, the experience was almost nerve-wrecking, but she quickly calmed herself. There was no point in this. This wasn't their battle. She did it to bring happiness back to the stage, not to prove that she was better. If Annett couldn't figure that out, it was her problem.

"What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" Annett asked mockingly

"I'm not obliged to answer you." _Thank you old Leon, I think I'll borrow this page from you._ "Think what you want. I'm here to do what I like best, to make a happy stage for everyone. And if I'm not mistaken, you're up next." And we're right after you. No, no pressure whatsoever, I'm calm, she told herself.

The blond woman shot her a venomous stare. "Nobody's good enough for Leon, especially a brat like you."

"I think you have told me so before." Sora replied evenly.

The lights went out and the time for Annett's performance came. As she ascended, the starlet shot at Sora: "Well it doesn't matter anyway!"

With that, she disappeared in the bright light of the projectors and the applause of the audience.

* * *

"What did she mean by that?" she thought frantically. Her platform was slowly rising and she could see Annett finishing her Angel's act, or what she had made of it, but she couldn't make out Leon from the other end of the stage. They were really far apart, and the higher they went, the darker it got. For a split second, she wondered if things were going to be alright, when she heard Fool whisper by her ear: "He's there. Do it."

She turned around, trying to see the perverted spirit, but it was so dark she couldn't make anything out. A shot of cold air hit her face and she realized that they had reached their destination. The steel handle of her trapeze felt alien to her, but she held it tightly, while listening carefully for their cue.

Why had she said that it didn't matter? And why did she expect Leon to be there in her place? Sora had little time to think about it when she heard the sharp whistle and, without any hesitation swung from the trapeze to where Leon was.

Yes, now she could see him. Catching sight of him was probably the best thing ever, but she didn't let her grip falter. Back and fro, they moved in perfect synch, Sora making up for her smaller size with sheer force. Leon moved with such liquid grace it was almost unbelievable that he was real…although there was something written on his face, something she didn't like so much…

She saw him stagger a little, as if he had nearly slipped, and then she realized it. His trapeze! Something had happened to his trapeze. It could've been her imagination, but she swore she saw it rattle slightly when she got close enough to see. Good lord, they had left his platform completely unattended, anyone could've messed with it.

Her blood ran cold when she realized why Annett had been so surprised to find her and not him. She probably wanted to brag at him and threaten him to be her partner.

And if that trapeze broke, the fall would've been intended for her.

Her body memory took over as they reached their peak and flew forward with amazing speed. Sora's mind raced as the both let go, flying towards each other…The relief that washed over her when she saw that he had made it so far was only temporarily, as she realized that the journey back would undo the sabotaged trapeze for good. Her hand shot out, desperate to feel him, and as their fingers intertwined, Sora felt as if something in her exploded.

It wasn't like the time with Layla-san. Every fiber of her body was on alert, her muscles tensed to their uttermost limit, and she had to use every drop of energy she had to maintain her pose and move with him. Their eyes met and for a brief second, everything passed from one to another-fear, desperation, love. Sora felt herself freeze at the intensity of them, so unexpected and strange were they. Of course, they had talked about it, but at that moment, as they hung, absolutely weightless into the sky, their lives literally flashed between them. It was as if they were dying…only she felt too happy to be dead.

Leon's face relaxed completely and he smiled in that heartbreaking way, as if he understood. Sora's lips moved frantically, as if she was begging him not to do it…He would go back, she thought, he would go back and fall to his death down there. Lord, that idiot thought that he would redeem himself by dying.

Gasps were heard from below, but Sora ignored them completely, focusing all her attention to the man in front of her. "Leon, don't do this!" she shouted.

"We must go back, Sora." He replied simply "It's time."

Oh, no, he wouldn't. Summoning up all the strength she had in her, she squeezed his hand with all her might, made a half-turn and then….and then….

"I love you!" she said, half smiling, half crying, as they separated with such force it was almost bone-shattering. Sora thought she heard Leon scream after her, but his voice was lost in the deafening roar of the wind. Her eyes narrowed as she searched the trapeze, and her hands shot out to catch it.

The time froze. The bar was right before her. All she needed to do was to extend her hands. Everything was quiet. She was completely calm. In a moment…it would be over.

She felt the cold steel, and suddenly all her senses came to life. The darkness bit her, the light blinded her, she shut her eyes as her hands collided with the trapeze, and, from afar, she heard Leon shout:

"SORA!"

* * *

A/N-Sorry folks, there won't be many updates for a while, since I'm being shipped away for Spring Break and unfortunatly, won't have any net where I'm going. Hope you liked this chappie, there's at least one more coming up.

Have a fun Spring Break


	14. Vivre

**

* * *

**

Vivre

The lights shun brightly, the music was quickly rising into a crescendo, and the audience was silent. It was probably the first time that the people who came to Kaleido stage to be completely speechless as a performance went on. Usually there were some noisy children, hungry babies, or unhappy grandmothers who complained about the lights; it was common that lovers held hands and whispered sweet nothings to each other, and that friends hissed speculations about the actors as they played their roles; and there was always the journalist with the huge flash that disturbed the perfect harmony settled by the operating crew.

However, now it was different. The music was the only thing that was heard under the big top of Cape Mary, as "The New Romeo and Juliet" was being put up.

A gorgeous woman with a pink dress and long, blond, wavy hair threw herself up in the air, executing a series of complicated twists before landing on a trapeze. Leon made his entry from the other side of the stage, and the show began. The two moved swiftly around, barely touching, without making it clear who was chasing who. The woman smiled a bit too enthusiastically to him, while the trademark scowl on Romeo's face was deepening with every move she made towards him.

They were performing "The Wings of Love" maneuver, Annett Blanche's special move. However, while the woman was looking as much in love as a woman is supposed to, Leon simply performed the steps required of him, and nothing more. His face was completely emotionless-neither love, nor admiration, not even a slight affection were shown. The only thing that could be seen in his eyes was steely indifference.

His stage partner couldn't care less about it, as she threw herself up in the air and spread her arms out to him. He caught her and pulled her into a tight embrace, and then pulled both of them up to stand on the trapeze. Her smile faltered a bit when she saw the "don't-get-over-your-head" look on his face. She answered with a "why'd-you-save-me-then" pout. As if the heartless jerk thought that he didn't want to spend time in jail.

Well…he didn't.

Just then, white flower petals started falling over the two of them, and Leon suddenly livened up. His face lit up in a full blown smile, he grabbed onto the wires of the trapeze and slowly climbed it up towards the place in the ceiling where it was attached. A murmur passed the audience-some of them had been on the performance of "Romeo and Juliet" with May, and they remembered that time when Leon had gone off his way.

Now, he did it again. Only this time, it wasn't a scared, ruffled girl he pulled down with him. It was beautiful young woman, dressed from head to toe in white and gold. Some people cheered as the two of them began to perform together. The first did some chasing before going away to leave the stage for them.

As the lights became dimmer and the music-softer, the audience slowly became excited. It wasn't the Angel's Act, or the Golden Phoenix-their routine was simpler than simple, but the partners moved with enough grace to make it look beautiful. As their movements slowed down to an almost invisible vibe, their arms intertwined into a gentle embrace.

The applause was earth-shattering, announcing to every creature in a ten mile radius, that the true Kaleido star...was back.

* * *

The backstage was drowning in complete chaos. People cheered, congratulated Sora, shook hands with Leon…A few girls nearly fainted at the sight of him smiling, but it was probably natural.

"You do know that Cathy-san will get your head for that performance." Mia warned him when they could finally hear themselves talk. "Leon-san, a Romeo shouldn't look at Rosaline as if she's nothing but a speck of dirt!"

"If he was supposed to be interested in her, the play would've been called "Romeo and Rosaline". Besides, Cathy always complained about me not showing a more emotional side." Leon smirked contentedly, as his arm wrapped around Sora's waist.

"Well, if you didn't care about Rosaline, you could've at least cared about me!" May grunted angrily as she shoved her blond wig in a corner. "Thank the God we're only putting this up once, this whole Wings of Love act sucks. Mia, I want you to write a role that suits ME in your next play, not Annett Blanche!"

"Sure, May." The said girl giggled "Would you like to be Medusa or Aphrodite?"

"Aphrodite." She answered quickly, but then frowned "Wait a sec, what's the play?"

"Eros and Psyche. You can be Leon's jealous mother and Sora will be the human girl who's more beautiful than you."

"I SAID THAT IT WOULD SUIT ME, NOT ANNETT BLANCHE!" May screamed

"My mother?" The unfortunate Eros' eyebrows shot up, the Leon equivalent of "what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about." Somewhere next to him, his partner chuckled.

"You should be more worried about your part, Leon." Sora beamed up at him "You'll need to do a lot of work before you resemble a God of Love."

His eyes narrowed dangerously, but the twitching of his lips betrayed the fact that he was enjoying the situation very, very much.

"Well, May…" he said, when he was sure his voice wouldn't betray him "I think the show served its purpose. No Annett in sight."

"I think I saw something that looked like her storm out the front exit when you brought Sora on stage…" Anna mused "But I'm not very sure about that."

"Didn't look like her?"

"Perhaps…" Yuri called over the cheering "You would like to celebrate instead of looking out for bad omens."

"Is dinner on you?" May asked

"It will be on you if you don't get in the car fast enough." The man laughed as he dramatically picked Layla up and ran at full speed.

Whether it was the success of the show or the fact that Leon quickly followed Yuri's example, Sora felt completely light-headed. Her friends were there, she was back on the stage she loved, and this time nobody, absolutely nobody could question her right to be there. The only things that were left to complete the picture were fireworks and flower petals, but she had the feeling that she could live without those. She'd tossed quite a lot of the former around anyway.

She closed her eyes and let the feeling sink in. After so many months, so many struggles, she finally felt truly at home. Gingerly, she reminded herself to thank Annett for this, if she ever got a chance to see her again. She had nearly made her lose everything, and Sora never appreciated her life more.

* * *

_One month ago, at the World Festival:_

_Sora heard Leon call desperately after her a millisecond before her hands closed around the trapeze. Despite the ridiculous clichés, she did see something flash before her eyes, only it wasn't her life…It was a blast of color and life and energy, and she suddenly felt even more fierce to keep her life. Otherwise…_

_The feel of the bar was like a painful slap for her hands, but despite her fears, it didn't break. Relief washed over her, despite the fact that the trapeze had lost the inertia and she would have to hang suspended from there for a while._

_"No, go to Leon instead!" somebody called from above, and Sora looked up to find Fool perched on the bar, trying to hold the blots that held one of the ends together "Or better yet, call him, before the poor boy does something stupid."_

_She didn't have to be told twice, but when an answer didn't came, for one horrible moment she thought that she was too late. Then, she heard him call her name, and noticed that he was trying to get into synch with her. Thanking the gods a thousand times that he wasn't such a hothead, Sora tensed up every fiber of her body and turned towards him._

**_A million stars light  
this beautiful night.  
This is not a night to die,  
let me sing and dance beneath the sky.  
I have such love to give,  
to give.  
I want a chance to live._**

_There was no time to waste. May's heels made a strange noise as she half-hopped, half-ran towards the operator's room. Curse her not coming there in the first place, instead of sitting out there like a deer in the headlights. Annett had made sure that nobody besides her comes to Paris, as she had to open the festival, and she was feeling absolutely helpless. If only Layla-san had been there…_

_But she wasn't. May gritted her teeth and hiked her skirt up as far as decency allowed. It had looked like such a good idea to pick up the lilac colored gown, to make it look like her costume from three years back. Now it was restricting and bothersome._

_"Damn it!" she breathed and nearly screamed with frustration as she came to another dead end._

_"DOUBLE GRAND ENTRY!" she yelled, kicking the door open and entering the operator's room._

_Thank God for her training with Katy and Layla-the looks the crew gave her didn't even make her flinch. "Toi!" May headed towards the closest one "You'll take me to the one in charge immediately!"_

_"That would be me." The man mumbled, staring at her clothing incredulously. "Madam, I think you shouldn't be back here…"_

_"I was back here three years ago, and I'll come here whenever I want to."_

_"Still…You should be out front. It is your duty."_

_Oh, of all the detestable and hard-headed asses! "And your duty is to make sure nobody dies out there." She said, barely containing her anger. "Do you see those guys out there?"_

_"Everybody does." He said coldly._

_"Well then, you saw how that trapeze nearly fell."_

_"There's nothing we can do to get them down, not while they're in motion." The man was pale like a statue, but still had the nerve to say such things to her?!_

_"Oh, there's plenty you could do. For starters, get all the trapezes down and make sure they're in full swing. Those guys will need something to work with."_

_"Are you insane, woman! They're on the highest level we have! If they let go they'll crash on the ground! It's humanly impossible to land on a trapeze…"_

_" Quiet, àne stupide!" she yelled in French. "Who said anything about landing? For as long as Leon has something to grab onto, he'll be fine!"_

_"The…"_

_"Don't listen to her." A cold voice was heard from the door. May's head snapped around to meet Annett's chiding gaze. The star was still wearing her stage costume. "She's deranged. The excitement is too much for her. Allow me to take her away." Her hand rested on May's forearm, but the girl quickly pulled away._

_"The hell you will!" She bared her teeth. "It was you, wasn't it? You sabotaged that trapeze!"_

_Annett didn't even blink. "You don't know what you're saying."_

_"Why else would this have happened?!" May turned towards the man she'd been talking to "You guys check everything before the performance starts, and nobody else used that platform!"_

_"May, leave the people do their work."_

_"Those are my friends out there! My colleagues! Who would know better than me what they're capable of!"_

_The man stared at her, wide-eyed, and then looked at his men. "Lower the trapezes." He barked in French and started working the controls. May smiled triumphantly, but then felt something grab her hand and suddenly, Annett slapped her through her face._

_The former winner of the World Festival staggered and fell on her knees, as one of her sleeves tore and hung in Annett's arm._

_"You ungrateful little pest!" the woman screeched "I'll make you pay for that."_

_Despite the fact that her face stung and hurt, May still had enough power to look up at her with dignity. "Until I hand over the trophy to Sora, I'm still the winner. You can't order me around."_

_"Why you…" she brought her hand up to strike her again, but the man in charge quickly grabbed her._

_"Madam, I would advise you to get out of here before I called security." He said, coldly._

_"Let go of me!" Annett went out, and said over her shoulder "You're fired!"_

**_Though this world tears us apart  
we're still toghether in my heart.  
I want the world to hear my cry,  
and even if I have to die  
love will not die;  
Love will change the world!_**

_Her muscles screamed with pain and her vision was dialing dangerously, but she still kept her eyes on Leon._

_"Anytime would be good, Sora." Fool huffed._

_Leon hung upside down and watched Sora throw herself off the trapeze. Her body hung high, traced a graceful spiral and fell slowly towards him. His hands extended and caught hers, then brought her up and hugged her to his chest. Lord, he felt weak with relief. Somewhere behind her, her bar broke….One more second and she would've…_

_"Leon-san…" he heard her whisper, but her voice drowned in the music as the second part of their act began. Below them, the trapezes swung and he smirked melancholically._

_"This brings back memories." He said, took a deep breath and let go of the trapeze. Both flew down while the song "Vivre" from the musical "Notre-Dame de Paris" played._

_Leon held his partner's wrists tightly as they neared a trapeze, and helped her grab onto it, just like the time when he had dragged her out in the middle of "Romeo and Juliet". Then, remembering about his character, he made a weary face and threw himself off to the closest bar, curling somehow to look crippled._

_A few seconds later Sora appeared as well, halting his flight, and forcing him back into the spotlights. It was such déjà-vu, only this time she was the one chasing him. Slowly, they began dancing together, as the final chorus began playing._

**_Live for the one I love.  
Love as noone has loved.  
Give, asking nothing in return.  
I'll love until love wears me away.  
I'll die, but I know my love will stay.  
But I know my love will stay._**

_Her hands were bruised to the point of bleeding, but still, Sora kept the smile on her face as she flew high in the air and landed next to Leon. She leaned back on one of his arms as it curled around her shoulder, and the other-around her waist. Her eyes closed when she felt him nuzzle the crook of her neck-the trapeze slowly came to a halt, the music died out, and they stayed like that, in the semi-darkness, waiting…._

_And then it happened._

_It started as a slow rumble, but soon turned into a deafening roar, as the applause of the audience rushed over the stage like a tidal wave. Sora and Leon slowly straightened up and looked down at the crowd cheering. The young woman's face lit up and she laughed, while he just smirked and hugged her closer._

After that, it was complete havoc. There was no need for any more performances, as even their opponents rushed on stage to greet them. The Petersons shook hands with them, and May nearly brought their trophy to them, skipping all the ceremonials and speeches. Everyone was so ecstatic they forgot to ask why the former winner had a scratch on her cheek and missed a good part of her sleeve. The applause continued even when Leon unceremoniously picked his partner up and carried her out of the theatre to rest.

* * *

It took a two weeks of rest until the doctors told Sora that she was allowed to perform, and another two because Leon insisted. In that time, the board of directors realized that Annett would only waste their money and encouraged her to resign quickly. She quickly lost their favors, especially after somebody informed them of the little fraud with the votes on the first competition, as well as the faulty trapeze. As Mr. Kenneth kindly explained to her, they encouraged competitiveness for as long as it was in reasonable limits.

Sora's mind drifted back to the present, as the cast gathered in front of a small restaurant near the seaside and sat down to celebrate. She slowed her pace to look over at the graduately darkening sky and sigh with relief-it looked as if she had made it.

Leon stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her, before resting his chin on her shoulder. "Worried?"

"Just thankful." She smiled at him and caressed the knuckles of his hands with her fingertips "I'm so glad you're with me."

"I had half a mind to let go when I realized what you were doing." He said

"Cheater." She huffed. "You promised that you wouldn't."

"You broke your promise first." He reminded her, toying with the ends of her hair "You went to that deathtrap."

"I'm lighter than you, I had a better chance to get off it before it broke." Sora pointed out stubbornly, but he decided to cut the nonsense off and kissed her on the lips.

"I'll yield to your logic…for now." Leon said huskily "But have in mind, I'm not letting you do any more stunts like that, at least until I'm sure I'll be close enough to catch you."

"Hey, you two!" Layla chided from inside "Come here, before you catch a cold."

"She's acting like a mother hen, isn't she?" Leon asked, while giving the former star a sarcastic look.

"I'm not sure about the hen part, but for the rest, she has a good reason to." Sora chuckled and pulled him inside.

The others hadn't wasted time in reminiscing and were already arguing over the future play.

"Well, I think we should put up "Notre-Dame de Paris"." Sarah said "After all, it's what brought Sora back to us. I think that it's a sign."

"Annett swapped the costumes." Leon pointed out "If not, it would've been the "Sleeping Beauty". It will be appropriate for children as well."

"So what? I'll be the evil witch or the jealous Fleur-de-Lys?" May huffed "I don't get the appreciation I deserve around here!"

"Oh, I think that lilies would suit you very much." A silky voice said behind her and she turned around to meet the laughing eyes of Jean Dubois, the operator from the world festival. "Can I say that you look better without those bruises on your face, mademoiselle."

"What the…" she sputtered, as everyone stared at the newcomer curiously. "How the hell did you find me?"

"I'd advise you to refrain from using profanities, it's very un-ladylike." Jean grinned broadly as May turned a dull shade of red and a vein popped on her forehead. Everybody was dead quiet now, listening as if their lives depended on it. Even Leon looked mildly interested.

"You…you didn't answer my question! How did you get here?"

"I flew." He answered simply "You know, I could've walked, but they haven't made a bridge through the Atlantic yet."

"That's not what I meant!" May screamed.

"Well, if you don't want me here…" he barely stopped himself from laughing at her expression "I'll just sit next to Rosetta."

"I told him we're coming here after the performance, May." Her stage partner replied for him "He called Ken, since he didn't have your number, and he called me. You were still practicing, so I decided to make a surprise for you."

"Well, that's a surprise alright." The young woman blushed as Jean sat himself comfortably next to her "You know, for somebody as straight-laced as you, you sure are impulsive."

"Straight-laced? Moi? I was just concerned over the show, nerves, stress, stuff like that. You know."

"So why did you come here?"

"Well, there is a convention, and since cape Mary isn't ten miles from my hotel, I decided to find you. Besides, nobody's called me a stupid ass since middle school and I kinda missed it."

"You don't have a romantic bone in your body, do you?"

"My whole skeleton is made of romance, Ms Scandalous."

"Well, it seems love struck several times when we weren't looking." Sarah whispered to Kalos, chuckling.

"They'd better not put the floor down." The former replied, casually taking a sip from his wine.

* * *

It was late when Leon walked Sora back to the dorms. The conversation had been abandoned ages ago and now was waddling behind them like a tired pooch. Everything had changed though, and it took just looking at them to know it. They moved slowly, as if they had the whole time in the world for them, eyes forward, bodies pressed as close as they could. It wasn't how Sora pictured love, but for once she didn't wish that Leon would talk more often with her.

The times they had spent together in the past months had been more of a learning experience than all their years as partners on Kaleido stage, and it had taught her that loving wasn't about wonders that took her breath away, or that the man of her life didn't have to come on a white horse to sweep her off her feet. No, love was to understand him even when others couldn't, catching up on his thoughts when he was astray, seeing him in his worst and still loving him. It was the way he let actions speak for him and the way it made the gentle words even more precious. It was the way he could read her, and the way he managed to be a part of her life as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Both watched as the waves smoothened the sand near the shore, before taking up their path once again. For the fist time, they didn't have to talk.

Their silence spoke volumes.

* * *

A/N-*Collapses exhaused* I did it. I couldn't imagine I could do it, but I did it! Here's your update, folks, and I expect a thorough feedback. What was the part you liked best? What was the part you didn't like? Did the story meet your expectations?

The lyrics from this chapter are from the song "Vivre", or "Live" from the musical 'Notre-Dame de Paris', based on Victor Hugo's amazing book "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame". I would highly recommend that you look the song up in the original french version, because it's by far the best. They have it on youtube, with subtitles in English. It is by far one of the coolest songs I've ever heard, and to be honest, the whole musical is one of the most epic things I have ever seen. Watch the original version, it's simply breathtaking. French has never sounded more beautiful.

On a happier note, I'm writing a new Kaleido fic. If you wanna see it...

Ja, I hope this fic has pleased you. I enjoyed writing it very much, and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it just the same.

Until we meet again,

F.S.


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